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Posts tagged ‘Family’

Michael

I received my copy from the publisherstuff-happens-michaelBy: Phillip Gwynne

Part of the Stuff Happens series

Michael loves to swim, in competes in the national team and has dreams to swim in the Olympics. One day though Michael thinks he might like to try doing something else, even though his dad thinks it is really stupid. Michael can’t stop thinking about it though. He knows he shouldn’t try this thing, not after all his parents have given up in order to give him so many swimming opportunities. Sometimes though people have to learn their own way.

This series appears geared towards those who don’t like to read much, specifically boys. These stories are bite sized. This one is touching and deals with a very real pressure some kids face. Trying to juggle what they want to do and not let their parents down. This shows the downside of certain choices but the upside of working through it with others.

Publisher: Penguin Books

Published: 27th August 2104

Format: Paperback, 88 pages

Key Words: Sport, Swimming, Family

ISBN 13: 9780143308102

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Long Haul

I received my copy from the publisher
the-long-haul
Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 9

The Heffleys are heading out on a road trip, not that this is something Greg thinks is going to be a good or fun thing. It all starts off pretty much as Greg expects, pretty chaotic, not brilliant but better than it could have been. Things quickly turn terrible though as their road trip is filled with uncomfortable travelling conditions, worse sleeping conditions, mad seagulls, unexpected and hungry piglets, lost property and car accidents. There is a high point, when Greg finally gets to go to a water park, but even that doesn’t turn out so well.
The tried and true Wimpy Kid format proves that it still works. This instalment is full of silly fun and takes the Heffleys out of their home comfort zone. Everyone knows road trips either make or break families and in this case it is very possible this family won’t be heading out on any more. A fun read and perhaps a few pointers for Mum and Dad on what not to do if planning a family road trip.
Publisher: PUFFIN
Publication date: 5 November 2014
Format: Paperback 224 pages
Key Words: Family, Holidays
ISBN 13: 9780143308591
Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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The Fearless

I was sent this book by the publisher
the-fearless
By: Emma Pass

The Fearless are coming, and then suddenly they are here. Cassie’s life is torn apart that night. The Fearless are brutal, they destroy whatever and whomever gets in their way. Somehow Cassie and her brother get away. They get to be part of the small group who make it to the island. Her brother is the last person she has left in the world and she will do anything to look after him. When the island is invaded and he is taken, there is nothing Cassie won’t do to find him and bring him home. This includes making a deal with Myo, a strange boy who turned up on the island the same time as the Fearless. He came from the mainland and seems to think he knows where her brother is going to be taken. Myo though has secrets of his own. Secrets that will destroy their very fragile truce if Cassie was to discover them.

This is a zombie story with a twist. These zombies are man made and they are not totally brainless, some of them, they are however very driven. There is a lot of dark texture to this story. Cassie is tough and focussed but not as competent as she originally thinks. She also doesn’t know as much about what is really going on as she should. This narrow focus and interest is part of what will cause her big problems. Myo is just as driven as Cassie but his reasons are part of his big secret. This secret adds an interesting layer to the story. Cassie has to go through a big learning curve as she begins to understand that things aren’t as simple as she has been led to believe, the world she thought was black and white really has many shades of grey.

PUBLISHER: Random House
PUBLISHED: 1st May 2014
FORMAT: Paperback, 392 pages
KEY WORDS: Apocalypse, Zombies, Survival
ISBN: 9780552566155

Category:

Young Adult Fiction

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Alien Escape

I was sent this book by the publisher

alien-escape

By: Geronimo Stilton

Book 1 of the Spacemice series

Geronimo Stiltonix is the captain of Mousestar 1, a fabulous spaceship. He is rudely awakened from his dreams to discover said spaceship is about to explode. This is not good news especially when it turns out that the batteries need replacing. Geronimo is thrilled when a group of strange aliens offer to help by giving them access to a rare element. The aliens might not be as friendly as they seem though.

Using the same format that makes the various other Stilton series so popular. The story is simple, the text visually interesting and the illustrations fun and colourful. If you’ve taken your kids through the other books then this could be a fun addition to your reading time. If you have kids that are just starting their reading journey and they are interested in space and science fiction, then this could be a good choice for you. Silly fun.

Publisher: Scholastic US

Format: Paperback | 128 pages

Publication date: 1 May 2014

Genre: Adventure, Space

ISBN 13: 9780545646505

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 4-9

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Flower Power

I was sent this by the publisher.

flower-power

By: Yvette Poshoglian

Illustrated by: Danielle McDonald

Part of the Ella and Oliva series

Ella and Olivia are sisters. Ella is a little bit older and she has a plan to plant a garden. Olivia really wants to help, the sisters are very excited about doing this fun project. Once they get started though it turns out they can’t agree on anything. Will they ever be able to get the garden built and growing.

Sisters will be sisters and in amongst everything they will fight and then get over it. Or at least they do here. The easy to read and understand text make this series a good choice for beginning readers. The lesson in the story are simple, and definitely relevant to families with siblings. A nice little story.

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Format: Paperback | 64 pages

Publication date: 1 June 2014

Genre: Family, Siblings

ISBN 13: 9781743620533

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

Category:

Fiction 4-9

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Frank Davies and the Amazing Frog Catapult

I received my copy from the publisher

frank-davies-and-the-amazing-frog-catapult

By: Rohan Clifford

Frank Davies is just not having a good time of it. It seems he is always in trouble, at school with the headmaster and his arch enemy, then again at home with his mum and step-dad. Things get worse though, because the person in the family he is closest too, his Grampa then dies. This is when Frank’s life takes a strange turn sideways, he finds an old book and The Frog turns up. Frank it seems is destined for something more than just getting into trouble. In fact it is up to him to see that trouble doesn’t become a big permanent thing.

Frank has a lot of issues that kids have, including the dreaded step parent. Rohan has written a very believable character, it is easy to identify with Frank and some of his troubles. When things take the turn into the fantastical you don’t care, it’s just another part of Frank’s journey and you want him to master it. There is a good melding of the familiar and not familiar and so it is easy to remain in the story. It is a fun little adventure ride with some interesting environmental factoids.

Publisher: Puffin

Format: Paperback | 240 pages

Publication date: 23 April 2014

Genre: Adventure, Family, Environment

ISBN 13: 978014330753

Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on side of page

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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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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Divergent

By: Veronica Roth
divergent
Tris is sixteen, and that means she has to make a choice that will dictate the rest of her life. She can stay with the family and people group she has always known or she can choose another. Whatever she decides she had best make the right choice because there is no returning if you change your mind. There are five families, each one has it’s place in the very organised dystopian society in which she lives, the problem is, Tris doesn’t know where she really fits.
Although it breaks her heart a little she follows her gut which tells her to choose Dauntless. It is a tough choice, and a tough group to become part of. Tris didn’t realise just what she was signing on for and as the testing and brutal challenges start to take their toll she has to wonder if she has made the right choice. It is all complicated by the fact that Tris has a secret. Her secret means she doesn’t really fit in one place and in a society ruled by strict boundaries this means Tris is a threat. Conformity means survival but if she is discovered it could be the death of her.
This is a tightly written story. Tris is a likeable character there are moments I was frustrated with her but you don’t always have to like everything about a character to like them. (It’s a bit like real life, even best friends can have annoying traits). The world Roth created is interesting on the visceral level and on a theoretical level. She has created something that you can clearly picture, the restraint of the Abnegation, the sterility of the Erudite, the chaos of the Dauntless. In some part of the mind though you may start thinking just where would I fit. And how much a structured world like that would really limit your choices. Four is an interesting character, his story is even more layered than Tris’s and it will be interesting to see how those layers impact on his arc in later books. Enjoyable read, well worth picking up if you haven’t yet. Don’t let your opinion of the movie colour your choice too much, like always there are differences, some I think for the better and some, well they always have to cut some subplots out when turning a book to a film.
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Published: 03 May 2011
Format: Paperback 496 pages
Categories: Fiction General
ISBN 13: 9780007420414
Purchase: here or use Booktopia link on the side of the page.

Category:

Young Adult Fiction

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Midnight Mischief

By: Fiona Regan

Illustrated By: Louis Shea

Part of the Double Trouble series

midnight-mischief

Tommy and Coop are super excited. They love to prank and now they get to do it somewhere they haven’t had the chance to, and it is a place that will take pranking to a whole other level. The twins are going on their first school camp. They plan on making this the best camp ever. But what happens when they aren’t the only ones pranking?

A fun addition to this series. With it’s story lines filled with silliness and humour and the accompanying black and white illustrations, this series is full of appeal. It is particularly nice in this one to see Tommy and Coop on the receiving end of a prank. An easy read with plenty of laughs for a reader that might find books boring.

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 01 June 2014

Format: Paperback 64 pages

Categories: Family, Humour, Twins

ISBN 13: 9781743623770

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

Category:

Fiction 4-9

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Dinosaur Danger

By: Sarah Fraser

Illustrated by: Louis Shea

Part of the Double Trouble series

dinosaur-danger

Tommy and Coop are sure the class excursion is going to be boring. How can it be anything else when they are going to the museum. They try some pranks to make themselves late. Unfortunately for them they still have to go. Boring. Maybe some pranks will help them feel better. Then they discover the robotic dinosaurs. Now they can really have some fun.

This series is a lot of silliness and for some kids just the thing to get them reading. Fortunately for parents a lot of their pranks revolve around gadgets so it won’t be giving kids too many ideas. The text is simple and engaging, Tommy and Coop are the right amount of mischievous, not tipping over to malicious. A good little read.

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 01 June 2014

Format: Paperback 64 pages

Categories: Family, Humour

ISBN 13: 9781743623763

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

Category:

Fiction 4-9

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