Midnight Mischief by Victoria L Thompson and Ben The Illustrator
| Midnight Mischief by Victoria L Thompson and Ben The Illustrator | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
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| Summary: A fun romp through space, to rescue Pluto from those pesky aliens. With its strong rhymes throughout and engaging illustrations, Midnight Mischief will particularly strike a chord with young boys. Warmly recommended. Victoria L Thompson was kind enough to be interviewed by Bookbag | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: September 2010 |
| Publisher: Ginger Hare Press | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0956565105 | |
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James is fast asleep, when his bear wakes him up and points him in the direction of an astronaut coming alive from one of his posters. James is suddenly whisked away on a trip into deep space, because aliens have stolen Pluto and are using it as a football. Will James be able to save the day or will he fall foul of those pesky aliens?
I really enjoyed Midnight Mischief. It's a thrilling romp that young boys will particularly enjoy - there's a healthy smattering of space exploration, a touch of football, and plenty of friendly charm. The vocabulary is crisp and engaging, with a strong rhythm throughout and rhymes that will have even the littlest book fans joining in after a read or two. It's a very busy book, but this is to its credit: the high energy will make it a popular read and cries out to be read time and again.
The illustrations by Ben the Illustrator (also known as Ben O'Brien) add much to the book. They have a bold and solid style, with each page dominated by a particular colour. Although the style isn't directly related to the plot, it works surprisingly well to tie the whole story together. Without it, space would be unendingly black, and the aliens would seem mundane, but as it is, there's a freshness that will go down well with its young audience. Every page is action-packed, and I particularly enjoyed the sight of James' bear wearing his astronaut's helmet throughout. You can see more examples of Ben's work at BenTheIllustrator.com.
Young children of all ages will enjoy Midnight Mischief. It's best-suited to those who haven't yet learned to read themselves. However, its clear rhymes mean that those on the cusp of learning to read for themselves will find that it serves as a great segue from reading with adults to reading alone. The light humour and love of silliness will strike a chord with children and adults alike. Warmly recommended.
My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
For other space-based fun, check out Winnie In Space by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul and Journey to the Moon by Lucio and Meera Santoro. For a factual look at space exploration, The Comic Strip History of Space by Sally Kindberg and Tracey Turner is excellent.
Victoria L Thompson was kind enough to be interviewed by Bookbag.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Midnight Mischief by Victoria L Thompson and Ben The Illustrator at Amazon.com.
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