Fiona Ingram's Blog, page 30

Book Review: I Am Pilgrim

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes starts with a murder, seemingly the perfect murder, and then someone is brought into the equation – in fact the protagonist – in quite an unassuming manner. And suddenly it’s not just about a murder in a NYC motel, done in the flurry and inferno of the Twin Towers’ bombing so the killer can cover their tracks. The protagonist, code named Pilgrim, has an interesting past (an adoptive wealthy childhood) and he just happens to have written the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation. Through this book, Pilgrim is tracked down and given a mission upon which the world depends. America faces mass murder using a weaponised form of a disease thought to be eradicated.
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes is like no other book I have read. It is well worth the hours spent reading long past your bedtime. I was a little daunted by the size of the book, but remembering how I used to love well written, lengthy tomes, filled with intrigue, great characters, and riveting plots (where are all those books gone now?), I opened it. And could not put it down. I spent as much time as possible absorbing this incredible story. However, where the author keeps the reader gripped is in a seemingly disparate number of events that appear to be unrelated – a public beheading in Mecca, ruins on the Turkish coast, a flashback to the Nazi death camps, military action in the mountains of the Hindu Kush, a doctor performing life saving deeds, a man gripped by a mission of spiritual vengeance, the tragic and seemingly accidental death of a wealthy young American, newly married. Did he jump off a cliff in the middle of the night, was he pushed, or did he simply fall? And what of the beautiful widow and her enigmatic female friend? Can one truly get away with murder? Just when a certain event seems to fade from your mind, perhaps forgotten as you keep turning the pages, Terry Hayes brings it back, and slips yet another thread into an increasingly complex but somehow not at all confusing tapestry.
I had given up on ‘big books,’ simply because I find most have been very timidly edited in that the author waxes on ad infinitum and definitely ad nauseum, filling pages with descriptive ‘guff,’ just padding the plot until (horrors) one starts skimming. I found Hayes’ writing to be tense, succinct, relevant, gripping. Each word plays its part. There is no extraneous detail, just solid story. It has been a long time since I did the old trick of reading more slowly as the book neared its end. I found myself doing that with this book, and thinking, “Oh no,” when inevitably it came to an end. Looking for a meaty read that is a banquet of intrigue, mystery, suspense, conspiracy, and thrilling action? Pick up I Am Pilgrim. PS: There are no interminable “for pity’s sake kill him already” fight scenes…

Book Review: Gizmo Goes on The Polar Express

Gizmo Goes on The Polar Express, written by Heidi Phillips and illustrated by River Wilson, is the adorable story of a fluffy little white dog named Gizmo who has dreamed of riding on the Polar Express on Christmas Eve. And it’s a dream that comes true because he receives an invitation … what a wonderful looking invitation it is too! It’s a golden ticket, it smells of milk and cookies, and it instructs the recipient to “Believe!” All Gizmo has to do is close his eyes and drift off to sleep. Suddenly, with blinding lights and whole lot of noise, the Polar Express arrives! The conductor shouts, “All aboard!” This is going to be such a special treat for all those children who have been very good. What excitement, what fun as cookies and hot chocolate are being served. Then just as suddenly, everything comes to a halt as Gizmo is accused of being a thief! Will he have to give his ticket back and be put on the Naughty list? Is this a terrible misunderstanding? It must be! But there’s the photographic evidence! Can Gizmo clear his name with Santa? Will he miss out on visiting Santa’s Village, riding in the sleigh, and feeding the reindeer with everyone else?
What a lovely children’s story! This is a tale that will captivate young readers with the mix of hand drawn illustrations and photographs of the real Gizmo and his family. I loved the rhymes, I loved the story, and I was on tenterhooks as to how Gizmo could be (hopefully wrongly) accused of pinching some popcorn. There are such pertinent life lessons woven into the tale of Gizmo’s Christmas Eve, and these are lessons that will stand young readers in good stead as they grow up. People often look for only the bad in others, when we should be looking for the good. We can’t control what others do; we can only control what we do and how we react. Remaining steadfast, telling the truth, and believing in oneself is something that all youngsters will do well to learn, and Gizmo sets a great example. The flow of the story is fast and exhilarating, and young readers will be caught up in the flurry of action and excitement as the Polar Express sets off for the North Pole.


I enjoyed the way the author captured Gizmo’s emotions of excitement, ebullience, happiness as his dream comes true, and then the complete disappointment, the fight to hold back his tears, the feeling of being let down because of someone else being nasty. I think youngsters will relate to the story, and be uplifted by the joyful ending. The end of the book shows the real-life hero, Gizmo, in his festive Christmas jacket, enjoying a ride on a real Polar Express and visiting Santa’s Village! This is the third of Gizmo’s adventures and, by all accounts, Gizmo has quite a following, especially at book readings! This is a charming story for youngsters at Christmas, but just as fun any time of the year!

Book Review: Chipo and the Mermaid

Chipo and the Mermaid by Grace Ashley is subtitled An African Fairytale and it is certainly also a mermaid story with a difference. Chipo and her father, Mukoko, lived in a little village in the savanna plains of Africa. Chipo’s mother died in childbirth and Mukoko, realising he would need help raising his little daughter Chipo, so named in memory of her mother, decided to marry a beautiful young woman he had fallen in love with: Nakai. Chipo’s stepmother was angry that Chipo and her father were so close. Later a daughter, Tino, was born to the couple, but things did not improve because Mukoko did not show as much love to Tino as he did to Chipo. Nakai visited a powerful wizard for a potion to change Mukoko’s feelings towards his daughter … and it worked. Chipo became practically the family skivvy, doing all the work, while her sister, Tino, lolled about, doing nothing. One evening Chipo went down to the river to fetch water and met the mermaid of the river. The mermaid felt sorry for Chipo and decided to take her to the cave where she lived in the bottom of the river. How Chipo’s life changed after that!
I loved this story and laughed out loud at the end when lazy Tino and greedy, vengeful Nakai definitely get the “reward” they so richly deserve. There are so many lovely lessons embedded in this delightful tale that it’s hard to know where to start. Family love is highlighted, along with caring, consideration, respect for others, and putting others first. As also are being careful to avoid being jealous, not being rude to people, not being demanding, and to be mindful of what you do in life and how you treat others because you never know what repercussions can happen. This is both a fairytale and a fable in a unique setting that is sure to get youngsters both wanting the story read out loud to them again, and wanting to find out more about Africa. In case you don’t think it is possible, mermaids are well known in African culture.
I loved the illustrations that are simple, bold, and beautiful and perfectly depict the setting and the characters. The bright, vibrant colours will attract and keep young readers’ attention, and they will also enjoy picking out the other visual elements that enhance the story. This is a Cinderella style story with a difference and one that both teaches and entertains. It’s the kind of book that can lead to great further discussion between an adult or teacher and young readers, with many points to ponder as well as sparking youngsters’ curiosity to learn more about Africa, the culture, and the animals. I would recommend this to parents, teachers, and caregivers for that “something different” to pique young readers’ interest.

Book Review: Curious Mary and Esme the Bunny

Curious Mary and Esme the Bunny by Dr. Julia E. Antoine is the third book in the very entertaining Too Clever book series for youngsters. This story revolves around a young girl called Mary whom readers will have met in Too Clever book 1. Mary is a curious young girl and thus earned the nickname ‘Curious Mary.’ Ten-year-old Mary lives on the tiny island of St. Lucia, one of the Caribbean islands. Mary lives in the city with all its modern conveniences that most of us take for granted. However, she just loves visiting her aunt and uncle’s farm in the country where life is simpler, albeit a lot less comfortable – no telephones, electricity, or running water. But Mary doesn’t mind; she enjoys the outdoors, nature, and the many varieties of flowers growing there. She enjoys spending time with Aunt Edna, Uncle Nathan, and her two cousins, Timothy and Aaron. Life on the farm is never boring because there is always something to do. Besides, Mary has a special little friend on the farm. A bunny called Esme, named after Mary’s best friend who had moved away. But Mary learns of a terrible fate in store for Esme on Easter Sunday! What can Mary do to save her best friend from being dinner on that day? Animal lovers will endure some nail biting moments as Mary racks her brains to come up with a plan to save Esme.

I really enjoyed learning about the island, and this is a wonderful way for teachers and parents to get kids interested in the geography, culture, the types of plants and fruits on the island, and a life style that will be quite novel to them. Youngsters will also enjoy reading about someone their own age that lives in another country. The author manages to include such a wealth of interesting details with facts that just slip so naturally into the narrative. The photographs are beautiful and show a positively paradisiacal countryside filled with the most beautiful flowers, as well as images from the village and surroundings. Young readers will also learn about a lifestyle that involves hard work by the family members. Chores on the farm take up a lot of time, but everyone pitches in.
Life on a farm is very different to life in the city, where we go off to the supermarket and more than likely never think of how food is grown or produced. On a farm, animals are generally raised for eating, which Mary learns, to her horror, from her older cousin Timothy. Young readers will enjoy reading about life on a farm. There are good discussion points in the narrative that teachers and parents can use to get young readers thinking. These include the differences between city and country life: how one can survive without gadgets and mod cons and become self sufficient on a farm. So many lovely themes are covered in this enchanting story - going that extra mile for a friend, thinking of solutions to a pressing problem, trusting in people, trusting in God to help one find an answer when there seems to be none, as well as enjoying the simple pleasures that many times we forget about in the hustle and bustle of modern life. Young readers will adore the photos of the farm and the animals, and Esme’s ‘pawtrait’ of herself in a blue ribbon is just adorable.

Book Review: In the Dog House

In the Dog House by J.R. Poulter is a rambunctious tale for young readers about an odd family, but in fact, as one reads on, it’s not such an odd family at all. There’s Uncle Murgatroyd, Pop, his Aussie nephew, Ma, Pog, the dog, and young BC (Bang Crash, for obvious reasons!). They all live at Gaul Stones, a crumbling family pile. Uncle Murgatroyd is irate and for good reason. An inherited suit of armour, worn by an illustrious ancestor at the battle of Bog’Nall, is not only stuffed with lolly-papers, but it’s now on fire because someone has used it as an ash tray. Mayhem ensues as family members try to put the fire out. They didn’t have to go far to find the culprit. Chip (a smoker!) and Berga, Pop’s “rellies” from Down Under had not only ensconced themselves in the house, but seemed to have already outstayed their welcome. How can the family get rid of these unwelcome guests? Put them in the attic for the night seems to be the answer. However, the attic is already occupied by an inhabitant that doesn’t take kindly to Chip and Berga. Interestingly, nature takes its course in the way only Mother Nature can…

Illustrations by Terry Hand make the story come alive, in fact, almost so far as to leap off the pages. Large fonts every now and again for emphasis on actions are the kind of thing that young readers will love in this comic book style layout. The illustrations make one think of Gaul Stones as a kind of Fawlty Towers with a lot of ‘fawlty’ antics and upheaval. This story is all about action and each page is vibrant, energetic, and captivating. There’s a lot of youngsters to enjoy. I loved BC’s bookshelf with his interest in mummies and pyramids. The dinner table fiasco as Pog (Pop’s pooch who had been banished to the dog house) takes a flying leap to get at the “something yumshous” (Ma’s Spaghetti Bolognaise) is wonderfully chaotic and is a visual feast in itself. Young readers will love this story and the style of action contained in the illustrations and text. This is the kind of story that boys who are not keen on reading will love.

Book Review: Max's Hallowe'en Adventure

It was the loveliest summer afternoon, perfect for a relaxing snooze... especially for a cat. Max was in the middle of a most pleasant dream involving being fed strips of smoked salmon by a very pretty girl when he smelled smoke! Smoke? Gasp! That meant fire! Fire? That meant danger!!! Maybe lives must be saved. Where was everyone? He had to save the book, the book that had started the whole series of adventures, with the twins’ parents becoming lost in the mists of time, trapped in the pages of history. He couldn’t let the book be destroyed, because then Mum and Dad would be gone forever. However, when he plunged (not very) bravely into the smoke, he found himself back in the past, in 1644 to be exact, and he just knew that somehow this involved another very uncomfortable adventure that he hadn’t asked for!
A snarky cat called Berry was waiting to take him back to a tumbledown old cottage that seemed strangely familiar, and in fact, he’d already been there in a previous side adventure of his own (Max’s Christmas Adventure). The whole place was quite spooky, and there was a weird old woman called Goodwife Clowes, who insisted he was necessary to help rescue her sister from an evil man. Combined with this rude cat’s annoying attitude (or should that be cattitude?), Max just longed to go home. Then the weird old woman told him that the evil man was a witchfinder and that’s why he was needed to rescue her sister. Witchfinder? Max asked himself (as did I) was that even a job? In a nutshell, the Witchfinder General (the man had even given himself a title!) was going from village to village, rounding up women who might be witches, or who people had accused of witchcraft. Many innocent people in the village of Mistley Thorn would suffer if Max didn’t help. Can he muster up the last remnants of what passed for courage to lend a hand?
Max has the unfortunate tendency to be thrust into situations that require great bravery and feats of derring-do when this is entirely not in his nature. Once again, he’ll have to pull out all the stops. A brief and memorably nasty encounter at the local jail reveals the enormity of the situation and the truly evil nature of Matthew Hopkins, who specialised in sniffing out witches, or in fact any old lady (like this one), with a broom and a beady stare. Lovely details place young readers right into the setting of All Hallows’ Even (which we know as Hallowe’en), with a suitably eerie atmosphere and an uncomfortable amount of danger. But the peril is too great, the Witchfinder and his men can’t be overcome by two mere cats, even talking ones. Inevitably, Max is sent back to his own era, to plan and return to defeat the Witchfinder. Now Max has the reassurance of Jemima, Joe, and brainy Charlie on his side as reinforcements! Watch out, Witchfinder. Max will be back!
Author Wendy Leighton-Porter, as always, has a treasure trove of extra detail for avid young fans of the series and this fifth mini adventure in Max’s side forays. The origins of Hallowe’en and the pagan festival of Samhain are explained, as are local suspicions of the time and details of why people were blamed for natural disasters and diseases. Lovely word play ensues as well with Max getting quite confused about names, although given the stressful situation, this is quite understandable. Max’s Hallowe’en Adventure is a delightful and deliciously scary prelude to the next adventure (the tenth) for Jemima, Joe, and Charlie, entitled The Shadow of the Witchfinder. It has a wonderfully spooky cover and I can’t wait to read it!

Book Review: Zesta and Friendship

Zesta and Friendship by Patricia Johnson is about a little boy, Henry Mandras, whose family relocates to Cialtro, Italy. Henry was a bit sad because he’d miss all his friends he’d be leaving behind. However, Zesta, the horse of many colours, was there to guide Henry in this time of great change. Zesta is a special horse, one with unique powers, a companion to all children to help them in those important moments in life, and in making decisions. Zesta reminds Henry that he’ll meet new people, see new places, and make new friends in this wonderful new life. Zesta also helps Henry while away the long hours of the plane trip. Cialtro is a beautiful place where all the houses are painted vivid colours that remind Henry of ice cream.
Once they’d settled into their new home, Henry saw children playing outside and, although Zesta encouraged him to go out and make friends, Henry stuck to his electronic games. However, he did notice a boy who didn’t join in with the other children and he wasn’t invited to be part of any of the team games. Henry also noticed the boy had a limp. When the boy looked at Henry, Zesta said Henry should go and say hello, but he did not. Henry’s mom also saw the boy and said he should come over to meet Henry, but the boy did not. What will happen between Henry and the boy? Will they both pluck up the courage to say hello and become friends? How will the story end?
This is a deceptively simple story with a wealth of thought provoking information for youngsters to ponder on, and for adults to use as discussion topics with children. I liked the idea of an invisible (to others) horse of many colours, who acts as a guide and sometimes a sounding board to help children make decisions or deal with life changing events. Decisions and choices can sometimes make for a bumpy or a smooth ride in life. Happily, Zesta is there to help children make the choice that takes them on a smooth path. Themes covered include relocation, leaving friends, familiar faces, and places behind, arriving in a new country, making new friends, and having the courage to take the first step to extend the hand of friendship. Since the boy has a limp and looks different, children will learn that friendship includes being open and honest with each other.
The most interesting aspect of this story, however, is the fact that the story events are repeated in a second story, but with a different choice made by both Henry and the boy, with a different and wonderful outcome. The idea of repeating the whole story is important, I think, for young readers, or children who are being read to. Children never tire of a good story, one that holds their interest, so repeating the story will be intriguing, especially if the parent or teacher tells the child there is something different about this story. An adult would jump straight to the end and ‘get’ the lesson. However, a child will enjoy taking that journey again with Henry and appreciating just where the turn in the tale happens, a turn of events that changes life for both Henry and the little boy, Pierre.
The images are just stunning, with simple yet effective drawings and brilliant, eye catching colours. The images also clearly depict the unfolding of events. The author includes a ‘moral of the story’ to repeat the life lessons learned for young readers, and which teachers and/or parents can use to ask the child their thoughts on the themes woven into the story. A lovely story to read at bedtime, or to use as a book for discussion in class.

Book Review: Feast For the Beast

Everyone loves a special holiday, a time when one can invite a few friends around, prepare some delicious eats, and everyone settles down to watch the parade on television. One is not supposed to sneak off and eat everything ... everything? Yep, everything. In Feast for the Beastby Russell Dorn, the unthinkable happens. Gummy the (toothless) werewolf just can’t wait for the turkey to be done to a golden brown; he has to stop that growling in his stomach. Before he knows it, Gummy has eaten the feast meant for everyone to enjoy. Aghast, he doesn’t know what to do as his hungry friends depart, saddened by his greed. Gummy has to make it up to them, but how? And then he has an idea! A brilliant idea!
What a lovely tale of mayhem behind the scenes as Gummy wades into the food and literally devastates the feast because he can’t stop at just one bite. Although the feisty fruitcakes fight back, they are no match for a hungry beast! Pumpkin pie, green beans, cocoa, candy bars, it all goes down the hatch. The illustrations by David Dorn are simply adorable! Bright and detailed, they almost tell the story in themselves. The simple but descriptive rhymes very adeptly paint the scene as Gummy quickly scoffs the food meant for everyone to share. Although some words might be advanced for a young reader, this is a perfect opportunity for the adult reading aloud to explain meanings, and build on the child’s vocabulary. I loved the play on words, such as ‘tomb-scones.’ Another fun educational aspect is counting the items that Gummy devours, such as ten slices of pumpkin pie and twelve cups of cocoa.
This holiday story, although set in winter, could suit any special festive day in the calendar. Thanksgiving and Christmas spring to mind, but what could be better than Halloween, given that the guest list features monster characters such as Felipe Femur the skeleton, Sunny Stoker the vampire, Runny Rotten the witch, and Gummy Garou the (toothless) werewolf. Apart from creating a fun monster story, the author has subtly included lovely life lessons for young readers. Gummy had let his friends and himself down, and when he realised his mistake, he made up for it. Friendship, sharing, accepting when you’ve made a mistake, thinking about consequences, and mending those broken bonds are themes that youngsters can learn from, since life is full of ups and down, and youngsters need to learn how to fix what has gone wrong, and that the solution is within their power. The end of the story includes more fun for young readers when they visit Felipe Femur’s website.

Book Review: Gregory the Spider

Gregory the Spider: Romping through the Year is an enchanting children’s picture book written by Cynthia Dreeman Meyer and illustrated by Marina Saumell. Gregory the spider takes young readers on a pictorial romp through the year, with significant dates and days of celebration cleverly woven into the full page, full colour illustrations. Gregory invites young readers to follow him as he turns the first page in a lovely adventure of seasonal fun. His friends, Max and Molly Mouse, take part in each month’s romp, and Gregory features significantly, often getting into the spirit of things by wearing a costume or hat. Through sunshine, rain, wind, snow, and ice, Gregory shows youngsters the seasons and significant holidays, special days, or moments in the calendar.
First, the illustrations are absolutely adorable and detailed. Readers will definitely spend some time poring over the images and making discoveries. The images are also deceptively simple because, as youngsters read with an adult, they can be encouraged to spot the clues hidden in each picture to indicate the name of the month and other fun features that make the month special. A check list at the end of the book will help young sleuths. The author invites readers to investigate further on her website for a full list of items to find in each picture, and their significance. However, it will be good for parents or teachers to let young readers try for themselves to find the important items and to guess the significance of each month.
The story itself is told quite simply, and possibly because not much wording is needed. The illustrations have a kind of energy that “romps” along as well as one turns the pages. Gregory is a surprise main character because spiders don’t usually end up in the spotlight. Gregory is a delightful “narrator” with his antics, his appropriate costumes, and his expressive eyes! The lovely cover promises a treasure trove of interesting details inside and young readers will not be disappointed. A lovely storybook to share with family members, or as a gift to a young reader, a book that will be read over and over again!

Book Review: The Shnoos and Panoos Are Lost and Confused

The Shnoos and Panoos Are Lost and Confused by Catherine Copplestone introduces young readers to the Schnoos and the Panoos, adorable and whimsical little creatures that have a wonderful life, doing exactly what they know they want to do in a garden where marshmallows grow. They have lots of fun playing tunes, dancing, making “amazing spectacular pants,” and enjoying themselves and life. They eat yummy snacks, love each other, and always say nice things to each other. But one day, everything changed. They forgot their joy; they forgot what to do; they forgot their purpose and meaning in life. Panic ensued and life was chaotic, confusing, and horrible, and it wasn’t fun anymore. The Shnoos and the Panoos argued amongst themselves. Then one little Shnoo came up with a miraculous solution... What could it be?What a delightful story for both young and adult readers to share. The life lesson of choosing how to react, of choosing our emotions, of choosing love, peace and harmony over chaos and confusion, within this tale of the Schnoos and the Panoos is so simple, so perfect, that it really hit home for me as an adult reader. It’s so easy to be knocked off course by the winds of confusion, to lose our belief in ourselves and what is important, and that’s when we need to hold fast to what we know is true. I loved the delicate, charming illustrations, and how each little creature is made unique and special, from the one who makes “amazing, spectacular pants,” to the one who has a yen to travel to France (“Je suis un Panoo!”). The rhyming is impeccable and lyrical, and will draw the young reader into the story and the lesson.The lesson itself is quite advanced for young readers, but I think we underestimate children’s capacity for deeper thinking, realising what life is about, making choices, understanding concepts, and choosing their own path. These whimsical fantasy creatures are warm, friendly, and very appealing; they perfectly convey the author’s concept. The story also lends itself to further discussion between young readers and a parent or teacher about making choices and understanding feelings. The Schnoos and the Panoos learned a lesson that day ... and so can readers of all ages.