Adele Broadbent's Blog, page 235
June 10, 2016
Wolf Hollow
(Not in Napier/Taradale Libraries)
Author – Lauren Wolk
Age – 11+
A spiteful, mean, girl called Betty.
A caring, thoughtful, smart girl called Annabelle.
A man suffering the after effects of a war where he believed he’d done terrible things.
These are the key ingredients of this novel with a story that spirals from hatred and spite down through to forgiveness and love – but at what cost?
Wolf Hollow made me gasp, sigh, smile and wipe my eyes. Eleven year old Annabelle is brave, but no matter how many truths or lies she tells to try and help, things soon twist away from her again.
Shocking, beautiful and sad all at the same time.
(Family, Bullying, Prejudice, Hate, Advanced Young Readers)
June 9, 2016
Strawberry Crush
ER – URE
Author – Jean Ure
Age – 11+
Mattie and Maya are cousins, their mums – twins. Mattie is sensible, studious and reliable, and Maya flighty, elfin and hopeless. When Maya falls off her bike, a boy from school helps her into his car and takes her home.
Mattie sees the familiar look on her cousin’s face – the look that means Maya has one of her epic crushes. Maya does everything to be where Jake might be, walking her dog past his house, (when they’ve always walked the dog in the park). Waiting in the school car park in case she might run into him and he offers her a ride home (instead of catching the bus with Mattie). Mattie tries to tell Maya she is being ridiculous – Jake is 18 and she is only 12, but Maya won’t listen.
Mattie watches her cousin become consumed by her infatuation and is torn between being angry and embarrassed about Maya’s behavior, and worried about what might happen.
Jean Ure writes wonderful stories about real life happenings and everyday problems that tweens face. The characters were believable and young readers 11+ will easily identify with them.
(Friendship, Crush, Relationships, Boys, School, Family)
June 5, 2016
Threader
TEEN – TUR
Author – Rebekah Turner
Age – 14+
Josie lives with her uncle Bobby, helping him run his little store in the year 2050. Many people have ‘talents’. Josie has several talents including telekinesis and telepathy but is also a threader – someone who can ‘thread’ (join) with others and either help them strengthen their talents or control them against their will. She’s been told all her life to hide her talents – especially from any authorities as the government insists everyone register them.
When she is nearly caught using her talent illegally (for the 3rd time) her life suddenly changes and she finally faces the people who can tell her about her dead parents.
The Helios Academy are pleased to have her attend their prestigious school but she is no puppet and is wary of everyone. She wants to know what happened to make her parents leave the academy before she was born. On her way to discovering the truth she finds true friends, love and another threader she must defeat.
With a love story, an unlikely friendship, her parent’s hidden past and an experiment that went terribly wrong, all ‘threaded’ through this narrative, this was a riveting read. Would love a sequel!
(School, Love, Science, Secrets, Friendship, Courage, Betrayal, Family)
May 31, 2016
Julius Zebra – Rumble with the Romans
ER NOR
Author – Gary Northfield
Age – 7+
Julius Zebra isn’t happy about going to the lake with his mum and older brother. The water is gross and smelly. He tries to imagine the water as crystal-clear sparkling water from a mountain, but as soon as he tastes it, he knows better.
He decides he is going home on his own, despite the warnings of being alone from an annoying know-it-all warthog that sees him. Suddenly they are both caught up in a stampede. There is a stalking lion nearby. Julius and the warthog escape up a hill, only to fall into a deep dark pit – with the lion!
He’s wishing he never left his family’s side when they are all pulled out in nets by strange looking creatures called people. Not just any people – Roman Centurions.
This is a hilarious beginning to this series. Friendship, time-travel, humour and animals all mixed together make a great read for 7+ boys and girls.
May 30, 2016
Fizz and the Police Dog Tryouts
ER – GIB
Author – Lesley Gibbes
Illustrator – Stephen Michael King
Age – 6+
This is the first in a new series.
Fizz is a small white fluffy dog. His family are either show dogs, lap dogs, handbag dogs or companion dogs. But Fizz wants to be a police dog. He goes to the police try-outs and is laughed at by a large black german shepherd called Armadeus. But Fizz is determined and refuses to give up on his dream.
This brand new series with No. 3 & 4 out in July 2016 will be loved by animal lovers and anyone determined to achieve something. Packed with fun B&W Illustrations, these stories would make great read-a-louds.
(Animals, Determination, Bullying, Dogs, Police)
May 29, 2016
Ginger Green Playdate Queen
IR – KAN
Author – Kim Kane
Illustrator – Jon Davis
Age – 5+
A simple series about inviting friends over, or being invited somewhere to play.
The new friend – Ginger has invited Skye over to play but her dad stays too.
The crazy friend – Maisy is fun and loud and busy at school, but Ginger never thought she’d be so crazy when she comes to play.
The fancy friend – Ginger is impressed by all of Isla’s lovely things but Isla has different ideas about play than Ginger.
The next door friend – Edgar has moved in next door and is 7 like Ginger. But Edgar has definite ideas about boy play and girl play. Can Ginger convince him otherwise?
Great for those just under the reading age of Billie B Brown – 5-6 yr olds. This series is a fun way to talk with children about friends and how different we all are.
Witherwood Reform School
ER SKY
Author – Obert Skye
Age – 8+
(This is the first in a series)
When Tobias and his younger sister pull a trick on their awful nanny, their father is so angry he orders them into his car, before driving them many miles to leave them in the dark and rain outside tall metal gates. The sign says Witherwood Reform School – Caring, Community and Character since 1805.
He quickly feels guilty and turns around to go back for them but things go awry on the way.
What Tobias and Charlotte soon face would turn their father’s hair white if he knew what he’d left them to, and they have to use all their courage and initiative to try and escape.
Monsters, locked doors, a matron ten times worse than their nanny and hours of kitchen work every day are now part of their lives, no matter how many times they plan to leave. Witherwood is not just a school, but something otherworldly with a long history.
The first in an intriguing new series with the second out soon, it reminded me a little of A Series of Unfortunate Events with a humorous narrator and no end of terrible things happening to the siblings. Looking forward to the next in the series entitled Lost & Found.
(Monsters, Creepy, School, Siblings, Courage, Fantasy, Mystery, Series)
May 27, 2016
Freaky & Fearless
(Not in Napier/Taradale Libraries)
Author – Robin Etherington
Illustrator – Jan Bielecki
Age – 7+
Simon and his best friend Whippet love their Freaky and Fearless comics. But when Simon’s dad is talking about strange things before he leaves on a 3 month business trip, and the comic store-owner warns Simon about a storm coming on a perfectly sunny day, Simon begins to worry. And what is the strange shadow he keeps seeing out of the corner of his eye?
He and Whippet follow clues, track a kidnapper, meet a tiny lunatic and discover a troll toilet and fight a monster – all in the town of Lake Shore (Lake Bore according to Simon) where they live.
This is the first in a new series for 7-9 yr olds. Choc full of black and white illustrations by Jan Bielecki , this fast, fun, and full of action story about two boys who love to write stories and draw is only going to get more and more creative!
(Humour, Friendship, Monster, Story, Drawing, Comics, Series, Action, Courage)
May 25, 2016
Coming Home to Roost
TEEN – SCOT[image error]
Author – Mary-Anne Scott
Age – 15+
(Local Author – Book Launch 28 May 2016!)
Elliot is trying to get his life on track after living with a girl who his family believe was a bad influence. He has to agree with that and when he moves to Wellington to an electrician’s apprenticeship, he sees a new future. He meets a gorgeous, intelligent girl (so different from his ex, Lena), and gets on well with his boss Arnie who is well into his 70’s and having Elliot board with him.
But the stuff he left behind soon catches up with him, tipping his world upside down. Fear, guilt at hurting his family again and anger for being so stupid all but consumes him. But a near tragedy and the love of his family make him grow-up fast and deal with his decisions.
I really enjoyed this story about a typical Kiwi teenager dealing with the consequences of his actions. Saying that, it’s not preachy or moralistic in any way, just a natural progression from choices made. The characters of Elliot and Arnie are magnificent and I think this novel is even better than this kiwi author’s first teen novel. Snakes and Ladders won the Children’s Choice Award of the YA Section in the NZ Post Children’s & Teens Book Awards 2013.
(Family, Friends, Guilt, Responsibility, Growing up, Racism)
May 22, 2016
The World’s Worst Children
(Not in Napier/Taradale Libraries)
Author -David Walliams
Illustrator – Tony Ross
Age – 6+
David Walliams has done it again, but this time in 10 silly short stories about 10 truly awful children, and all in colour!
Whether it’s dribbling Drew, a nose-picker, a liar, or a girl who never washed anything, a know-it-all, a girl who likes to blow off, or a boy who only smiles at other people’s misfortune, these are funny tales about these terrible children’s reign of terror. Great read-a-loud for Year 2-3’s (6-7 yr olds)
(Humour, Children, School)
