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Mike Falls Up
A range of simple stories for new readers, with beautiful colour illustrations.
Mike and his dog Bowow are relaxing in the Chocolate Hills when the ground starts to tremble and the next moment a gaping hole appears. Before Mike can stop him, Bowow jumps into the hole. Then a note floats up...
Party.
Come now.
Just fall up.
There's no time to wonder what it means - Mike jumps in and falls into the most topsy-turvy of adventures.
A joyous story celebrating the power of unexpected friendships by award-winning author Candy Gourlay, beautifully brought to life with stunning illustrations by Carles Ballesteros.
Mike and his dog Bowow are relaxing in the Chocolate Hills when the ground starts to tremble and the next moment a gaping hole appears. Before Mike can stop him, Bowow jumps into the hole. Then a note floats up...
Party.
Come now.
Just fall up.
There's no time to wonder what it means - Mike jumps in and falls into the most topsy-turvy of adventures.
A joyous story celebrating the power of unexpected friendships by award-winning author Candy Gourlay, beautifully brought to life with stunning illustrations by Carles Ballesteros.
96 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2022
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Candy Gourlay
14 books174 followersCandy Gourlay was born in the Philippines, grew up under a dictatorship and met her husband during a revolution. She had many adventures as a journalist in Asia, including visiting North Korea in 1987. Then she moved to the UK and found herself writing news about toilet paper, toothpaste and bleach. She pivoted to writing books for children and young adults and was published after nine years of rejection. Her books have been nominated for major prizes in Europe, including the Carnegie, the Guardian Prize, the Costa and the Nero Book Award. She has won the National Children’s Book Award of the Philippines twice and the Crystal Kite Prize for Europe twice. Her first novel Tall Story was selected as one of the ‘100 Best Books of the Last 100 Years’ and Bone Talk was listed as a White Ravens Book and is endorsed by Amnesty International.
She lives in London with her family, where she loves dogs, making comics and gardening, in that order.
She lives in London with her family, where she loves dogs, making comics and gardening, in that order.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 13, 2021
On a day where it’s too hot to do much of anything, Mike and Bowow, his dog, are sitting on a hill. Suddenly there’s an earthquake and a hole appears in the ground. After Bowow jumps into the hole, a note appears.
What follows is a birthday party with a difference.
I thought I was the target audience for all children’s books, even though I haven’t been a kid since last century. This one just didn’t work for me, though. Confused, I asked someone else who loves kid’s books to read it for me. It didn’t work for them either.
If a kid reading this book asked me questions about it I’d probably have to make up the answers as it wasn’t especially clear to me why different things were happening. I want to know why .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
Birthday.Mike doesn’t know whose birthday it is and he certainly doesn’t know how to fall up, but he does know he needs to find his dog.
Come now.
Just fall up.
What follows is a birthday party with a difference.
I thought I was the target audience for all children’s books, even though I haven’t been a kid since last century. This one just didn’t work for me, though. Confused, I asked someone else who loves kid’s books to read it for me. It didn’t work for them either.
If a kid reading this book asked me questions about it I’d probably have to make up the answers as it wasn’t especially clear to me why different things were happening. I want to know why .
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com
February 5, 2023
Review to follow
July 16, 2023
The story follows Mike, accompanied by his trusty dog Bowow, as they embark on an unexpected journey triggered by a peculiar party invitation. Amidst the scorching heat of the Philippines and the mesmerizing landscapes of the Chocolate Hills, a deep chasm opens up, leading Mike and Bowow into a world of mystery and enchantment...and London.
As Mike plunges into the unknown, he finds himself awakening in the home of a girl named Kaneisha, situated in bustling London. Both Mike and Kaneisha have received the same cryptic invitation, prompting them to delve further into the unknown. Together, they set off on a surreal and dreamlike escapade, venturing through chimneys and encountering a host of whimsical characters along the way.
The book's distinctive illustrations, rendered in vibrant full colour, add a delightful touch of humour and visual interest to the story. The accessible layout and shorter chapters make it an ideal choice for newly independent readers, allowing them to immerse themselves in the adventure at their own pace.
A charming and engaging book invites valuable lessons about friendship and open-mindedness. A really beautiful and engaging first chapter book.
As Mike plunges into the unknown, he finds himself awakening in the home of a girl named Kaneisha, situated in bustling London. Both Mike and Kaneisha have received the same cryptic invitation, prompting them to delve further into the unknown. Together, they set off on a surreal and dreamlike escapade, venturing through chimneys and encountering a host of whimsical characters along the way.
The book's distinctive illustrations, rendered in vibrant full colour, add a delightful touch of humour and visual interest to the story. The accessible layout and shorter chapters make it an ideal choice for newly independent readers, allowing them to immerse themselves in the adventure at their own pace.
A charming and engaging book invites valuable lessons about friendship and open-mindedness. A really beautiful and engaging first chapter book.
January 8, 2022
One hot and sultry day, Mike receives a strange invitation to fall up. It's an invitation that refuses to take no for an answer. His adventurous falling takes him to strange places where he meets some unusual friends. A quirky story with delightfully quirky illustrations. A perfect first book for young, independent readers.
January 11, 2022
Colourful and imaginative early chapter book. You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
February 9, 2024
Imaginative, playful and bright. A young boy falls into a crack and makes new friends on the other side of the earth. Plus dogs and rock monsters! It's a story to get your 4-6 yo's imagination whirring.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews