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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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Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Third Wheel

This book was sent to me as a review copy by the publisher.9780143307334By: Jeff Kinney

Book seven of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

Somehow a wrestling/motocross school fundraiser morphs into a Valentine’s Day Dance and all the kids in middle school are now scrambling to find a date. Greg Heffley is having no luck, everything he tries fails miserably. Sure he isn’t the only one without a date but when the other person without a date is Rowley that’s not much consolation. Then something happens and Greg gets a partner for the dance even though Rowley is also tagging along. A lot of things can happen in one night though and love doesn’t always go the way you plan it.

This is probably my favourite of the Wimpy Kid series. Greg feels like a more rounded character this time around even though he is still wimpy, clumsy and somewhat unlucky. There are still plenty of cringe worthy moments, especially involving his mother and I’m sure a lot of kids reach an age where they feel that way about their parents.

This is an easy book to read, continuing the format that has made it so popular with readers – avid and reluctant alike. Mostly though it is entertaining fun. A great addition to the series, injecting something back in that felt lacking from Cabin Fever.

Publisher: Puffin

Published: 14 November 2012

Format: Paperback 228 pages

Categories: Humour, School Stories

ISBN 13: 9780143307334

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

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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Cabin Fever

By: Jeff Kinney

Greg Heffley is feeling the pressure to be good between Thanksgiving and Christmas. He doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his gifts. Added to this things at school have been tense with an anti-bullying program and the removal of playground equipment. Added to all this is a burgeoning addiction to on-line computer game Net Kritterz. Then there is the fact that school property has been damaged and Greg is the prime suspect. Which is kind of unfair a she really is innocent or at least sort of.

Just when he thinks the authorities are closing in a surprise blizzard hits and the Heffley family find themselves trapped in doors. It is not long before Greg starts to think being stuck inside with his family is a worse punishment than anything the authorities can do to him.

Greg is back with yet more problems interrupting his normal kind of life. Greg’s troubles are the sort that any school kid can identify with. The form for this book is one readers will be familiar with. Nothing has changed in style or structure, Greg’s problems haven’t become the problems of an older boy. Rowley is still innocent Rowley, Roderick is still an annoying older brother and Manny ably fills the role of annoying younger brother.

Cabin Fever is a fun addition to this popular series. It is the perfect series for reluctant readers of around nine. It’s presentation for those not familiar with the series makes for an easy read, and with the text broken often by illustrations it doesn’t look as daunting a read as it might otherwise. If you haven’t read this series before make sure you start from book one.

Publisher: Puffin

Published: 16 November 2011

Format: Paperback 228 pages

Categories: Family, School

ISBN 13: 9780143306641

Purchase: here or use Booktopia logo on side of the page.

Category:

Fiction 8-12

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Children’s Choice Books Awards 2011

The Children’s Choice Books Awards have been handed out in New York. Here are the winners:

•Kindergarten to second grade: Johanna Kerby’s Little Pink Pup.


•Third to fourth grade: Jarrett Krosoczka’s Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown.

•Fifth to sixth grade: Riordan’s The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles: Book 1).

•Teen: John Green and David Levithan’s Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

Kids voted Percy Jackson author, Rick Riordan, as Author of the Year and David Wiesner (Art and Max) was honoured as Illustrator of the Year.

The Children’s Choice Book Award categories and finalists were announced on March 14 and are as follows:

Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year:
Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott (Walker)
Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord, illustrated by Derek Anderson (Scholastic Press)
How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills (Schwartz & Wade/ Random House
Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby (Putnam/Penguin)
Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (Little, Brown)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year:
Babymouse # 12: Burns Rubber by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House)
Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray: The Uproar at the Front Door by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook/Macmillan)
Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods & Heroes by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda (Candlewick)
Finally by Wendy Mass (Scholastic Press)
Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf/Random House)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year:
Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce (HarperCollins)
It’s a Book by Lane Smith (Roaring Brook/Macmillan)
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion)
Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix/Scholastic)
Zebrafish by Peter H. Reynolds and FableVision (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)

Teen Choice Book of the Year:
Burned (House of Night, Book 7) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast (St. Martin’s Griffin/Macmillan)
Fang (A Maximum Ride Novel) by James Patterson (Little, Brown)
Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press)
Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, Book 5) by Richelle Mead (Razorbill/Penguin)
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (Dutton/Penguin)

Author of the Year:
Cassandra Clare for Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1) (McElderry/Simon & Schuster)
Suzanne Collins for Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games) (Scholastic Press)
Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (Amulet/Abrams)
Stephenie Meyer for The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner (Megan Tingley/Little, Brown)
Rick Riordan for The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1) (Disney-Hyperion)

Illustrator of the Year:
Robin Preiss Glasser for Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique (HarperCollins)
Loren Long for Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters (Knopf/Random House)
Nancy Tillman for Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan)
David Wiesner for Art & Max (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Mo Willems for Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins)

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