Difference between revisions of "Newest Confident Readers Reviews"
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| + | |author=Tim Collins | ||
| + | |title=Diary of a Wimpy Vampire | ||
| + | |rating=5 | ||
| + | |genre=Confident Readers | ||
| + | |summary=Nigel is a fairly typical teenager in many ways. He suffers from spots, he is awkward and uncomfortable around girls, he is moody, irritable and constantly feeling bitter and resentful of his parents. Worst of all, he just doesn't know where he fits in. But unlike most 15 year olds, this isn't just passing a stage. Nigel has the body, emotions and typical trials and tribulations of the average teenager, but he has been stuck in this stage of development for 85 years. As he nears his 100th birthday, he begins to wonder if he will ever fit in, ever find a date, and ever develop into a proper vampire. You see not only does he have all the difficulties of most teens, he also has to cope with the fact that despite being a vampire for nearly 85 years, he has developed none of the usual vampire strengths and talents. His little sister has all the speed, grace and power of a grown vampire, but he is still as helpless as an infant in the vampire world. His parents have to hunt for him, bullies torture him at school, and the worst torture of all is that he has finally fallen in love - but has no idea what to do about it. | ||
| + | |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1843174588</amazonuk> | ||
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{{newreview | {{newreview | ||
|author=Michelle Lovric | |author=Michelle Lovric | ||
Revision as of 16:28, 3 May 2013
Confident readers
Diary of a Wimpy Vampire by Tim Collins
Nigel is a fairly typical teenager in many ways. He suffers from spots, he is awkward and uncomfortable around girls, he is moody, irritable and constantly feeling bitter and resentful of his parents. Worst of all, he just doesn't know where he fits in. But unlike most 15 year olds, this isn't just passing a stage. Nigel has the body, emotions and typical trials and tribulations of the average teenager, but he has been stuck in this stage of development for 85 years. As he nears his 100th birthday, he begins to wonder if he will ever fit in, ever find a date, and ever develop into a proper vampire. You see not only does he have all the difficulties of most teens, he also has to cope with the fact that despite being a vampire for nearly 85 years, he has developed none of the usual vampire strengths and talents. His little sister has all the speed, grace and power of a grown vampire, but he is still as helpless as an infant in the vampire world. His parents have to hunt for him, bullies torture him at school, and the worst torture of all is that he has finally fallen in love - but has no idea what to do about it. Full review...
The Fate in the Box by Michelle Lovric
Venice is a place of contrasts, where poverty and extravagance jostle each other for space on the misty streets. But its inhabitants, poor or rich, have always been intensely proud of their city and its history. Ships arrive full of wonders from across the world, skilled glassblowers create magnificent artefacts, and magic is occasionally to be found in the oddest of nooks and crannies. Amneris, for example, knows that if she embroiders an exact copy of the fabulous patterns created by 'the dear creature' (as they call Uncle Annibale's kaleidoscope) each week, she and her family will always earn enough to live on. Full review...
Deadly Days in History (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary and Martin Brown
Horrible Histories' catch phrase is History - with all the nasty bits left in. This is not completely true, Scholastic is not going to print a children's book with details which are too graphic for children, but this is without a doubt the nastiest and most gruesome of all of the Horrible Histories books we have read. While I am happy enough reading most of the Horrible Histories books to my 4 year old as well as my 8 year old, I do think this one is best for the older children, would recommend a minimum age of 7, and this only if the child is already aware of the Holocaust, or the parent is prepared to broach this subject in a sensitive manner and provide further information. Full review...
I'm Dougal Trump . . . Where's My Tarantula? by Dougal Trump
'I'm Dougal Trump . . . Where's My Tarantula' is the second in a series of books about the misadventures of Dougal Trump. Although this is a sequel, it is not necessary to read I'm Dougal Trump and It's Not My Fault first. This book is fine as a stand alone story, but the odds are once your child has finished reading it, they will be asking for the next book, or in this case the first book, in fact - we've already bought it. Full review...
Curse of the Dream Witch by Allan Stratton
Young readers do like books which make them squeal with disgust from time to time — as long as the gory details are well balanced by lots of comedy and a real swash-buckling quest. And that's exactly what this tale of a princess, a peasant boy and a talking mouse provides. Full review...
Teachers Pest: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman
Lovecraft Middle School has been found to be full of other things in the past. Book one in this series had the ultra-modern campus plagued by rats, including a two-headed example that somehow became our hero Robert's pet. We have since found the whole thing is also full of portals into a nightmarish underworld, ghosts of a mansion where a mad scientist was dredging up hell. Now the school is full of something else – insects. Flies and other bugs are all over, people are getting bad haircuts due to head lice left, right and centre, and Robert's best friend Glenn might have suffered a most peculiar wasp sting. Would it have anything to do with the particular nature of the hellish beast that has just won presidency of the student council? Full review...
Diary Of Dorkius Maximus by Tim Collins
The Diary of Dorkius Maximus begins very much like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, only instead of journal bought by the protagonist's mother, we have a scroll bought by his father. Like Greg Heffley, the main character in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dorkius Maximus has set out to record his childhood as a record of how he rose to greatness - once he becomes a Great Roman Hero. Full review...
Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at some things) by Liz Pichon
The Tom Gates books follow a rapidly-becoming-familiar diary format with plenty of childlike doodles for illustrations. They follow the life a very ordinary boy. In this particular book, Tom faces everyday issues common to most children from family embarrassment, minor complaints about school and a three day school activity trip. Tom gets into difficulties due to forgetfulness, day dreams a lot and spends time with his best friend. There are plenty of jokes throughout, which children will relate to as most will face these issues, but in all honesty I found the book too ordinary. I didn't feel there was enough excitement to really interest a child, I wasn't terribly impressed by the artwork and I found the odd style of print distracting - but what do I know? After all, this book was not intended for middle aged mothers, it was intended for children, and while I was an expert at choosing just the right books for my son while he was younger, he has developed his own tastes as he has grown older and finding just the right books to keep his passion for reading alive has become more of a challenge. If I were reviewing this book based only on my experience of reading it - the resulting rating would be fairly low, but instead, I am trying to see this book through my sons eyes, and he really enjoyed it. Full review...
The Poison Boy by Fletcher Moss
Life in the city of Highlions has suddenly become a lot more dangerous, even for a 'poison boy'. Dalton and Bennie were sent to a banquet to check the food, and when the book opens our hero has just recovered consciousness to find himself lying on the floor covered in Bennie's blood. His friend has been poisoned and died horribly, having literally vomited up his stomach (apologies if you're eating your tea, but this is not a book for sensitive souls), and the same poison has caused Dalton to lose his memory of the whole event. Unfortunately this is by no means the end of his troubles, as the murderer is determined to remove all witnesses. Full review...
Jack Hunter: The French Connection by Martin King
After solving the ancient secret of the King, Jack Hunter's life has been brilliant. Finding a centuries-old key and unlocking mysteries dating back to the time of King Richard, as well as being integral in unveiling dangerous criminal activities and rescuing long-lost treasure have earned Jack and his friends a French holiday. But nothing is ever easy. Jack finds himself in the middle of a robbery, and nothing is what it seems. Russian gangsters, stolen jewels, a famous movie star.... and another historical secret pull Jack and his friends even deeper into the secrets of The Four Corners. What is going on? And how do they even know about Jack? With his family in danger, Jack can't even be sure who the good guys are. Full review...
Wendy Quill Is A Crocodile's Bottom by Wendy Meddour
Wendy Quill really wants to be 'a little bit famous', but her plans don’t always work out. Still, nothing can stop her from trying… and having the best time ever. First, she’s absolutely sure she’ll get the lead part in her school production of Peter Pan and Wendy. She has been Wendy all her life, after all. When that doesn’t work out, she stuns the audience with her performance as the crocodile’s bottom! Then, she gets dragged along to her best-friend Florence's tap-dancing class, and manages to land a part as a tap-dancing munchkin in their show… and she didn’t even know she could dance! But fame finally comes her way when she dresses up for a class project on the Plague and saves her teacher, Miss Pinch, from Kevin, the escaped school rat. Her heroic deed makes the front page, where everyone can see her! Full review...
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O'Hara
'My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish' is not a book that an adult would read unless they have children. This is a book written for children, and Mo O'Hara certainly has a very clear idea of what children like. This has none of the hallmarks of a first foray into fiction; O'Hara jumps right in with the confidence of a master. A bit of research shows she has in fact had time to perfect her craft, as a storyteller with live audiences where the immediate feedback would have shown what the children wanted to hear - and what they didn't. She has obviously perfected the art of storytelling for children before beginning her first book. Full review...
Lilliput by Sam Gayton
Sam Gayton's tale of a tiny girl who longs to go home has all the ingredients you need for a thumping good read. There are villains and heroes, adventures and deadly peril, new friends and wonderful animals, plus some charming illustrations. Oh, and chocolate. There's lots of that, and the book is all the better for it. Full review...
Dear Scarlett by Fleur Hitchcock
Shortly after her eleventh birthday Fleur receives a mysterious box from her father who died five years earlier. The box contains a strange collection of items that provide Scarlett with clues to her father’s life. For years she has accepted the story that her father had been a notorious jewel thief but as she attempts to make sense of the clues it becomes apparent that maybe things were not quite as they had seemed. With the help of her friend Ellie, Scarlett sets off on an exciting and at times dangerous mission to discover the truth. Full review...
The Last Wild by Piers Torday
The animals and the plants have all died, killed by the red-eye: only insects are immune. And the humans have all retreated to the Island, terrified that they too will catch the horrible disease. As there is nothing else to eat they live on formula, a sort of bright pink gruel which, no matter what they call it, always tastes of prawn cocktail crisps. The gloop is made by Factorium, the world's biggest food company, which has gradually taken over the running of the whole Island, including schools, hospitals and eventually the government itself. Full review...
Young Knights of the Round Table by Julia Golding
Rick is thirteen hundred years old — not bad going for a teenager. He has been living in Avalon, where time moves differently, and training (along with another two hundred human changelings) to get his revenge on the human family which abandoned him so long ago. And now he has his chance. Full review...
Keras by Simon Rae
Ever since reading The Enchanted Wood as I child, I always enjoyed stories about children who had the freedom to explore the world and go off finding adventures, unencumbered by the protective restrictions that most children face. Fantasy indeed, but this kind of world without limits often produces the most imaginative and memorable childhood tales. Full review...
Rotten Romans (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary
'History with all the nasty bits left in' is the catch phrase for Terry Deary's Horrible Histories series. Deary hasn't just left the nasty bits in, he has built a whole series around them. His stories are gruesome, revolting, vile and disgusting at times. That is precisely why the children love them. But underneath all of the nasty bits, there is quite a lot of history as well. Rotten Romans covers an area of history I am fairly well versed in. Even so, I learned a few things myself. At ages 4 and 8, my sons certainly learned a lot more. This book is equally enjoyable for young children with no prior knowledge of Roman history - or an adult who has actively studied this period. Full review...
Sun Catcher by Sheila Rance
The Bronze Age is an intriguing time, where the fight for survival and the harshness of greed and war co-exist seamlessly with the fabrication of beautiful artefacts and a profound belief in occult mysteries tied to the seasons and the natural world. Tareth, the crippled weaver, earns his keep in the community which rescued him and his daughter from the sea by making and dying brightly coloured cloths to sell at the annual Gather. But he has another, more secret skill. While Maia sleeps he spends his nights, almost against his own will, weaving an extraordinary silken garment for her, one which whispers to her of her far-away home and her dark destiny. For she is no ordinary girl but a princess of the Eagle People and the chosen heir to the sun stone. This stone is a revered and powerful crystal which is needed to channel the sun and use it to warm the land at the end of each winter, and without it famine and cold reign eternally. At the same time, it extracts a terrible price from the Catcher, causing her intense pain and eventually blinding her. In a bid to protect the infant Maia from her fate Tareth stole and hid the stone, and fled with her across the sea. Full review...
Will Gallows and the Rock Demon's Blood by Derek Keilty
The Great West Rock has never been the most peaceful place in which to live. There is a healthy attempt at multiculturalism, with humans, elves, dwarves and good trolls getting along OK, but for the bad trolls nobody likes. Unfortunately they're making themselves more and more known. Will Gallows is a little upset that he's not being allowed to learn any magic, but the unease and tetchiness throughout the land will hit his small family when someone makes off with a herd of their new calves. Even worse, who – or what – is behind a lot that is going on has a game-changing connection to his family's immediate past… Full review...
Goblins vs Dwarves by Philip Reeve
Goblins are the bad guys, right? Everybody knows that. They're just like orcs and trolls: ugly, smelly, and evil through and through, with no interest in life but eating anything that moves and having a good punch up now and again (preferably both at the same time). But what if they weren't all like that? What if one of them turned out to be a tad brighter than his greedy, thieving, brawling brothers? Full review...
My Best Friend And Other Enemies by Catherine Wilkins
Jessica and Natalie have been best friends for ages. But in the last year of primary school, when new girl Amelia moves to their school, she starts to come between them, forming a secret society with Natalie - and not letting Jessica join. Can Jessica repair her friendship with Natalie, or find some new friends? Armed with only her ability to draw great cartoons, she sets out to find out. Full review...
Grown-ups Can't be Friends with Dragons by Antony Wootten
Brian finds home a bit of a trial these days. Since Mum went, Dad seem to have spent as much time as he could down at the pub. Big sister Emily does her best to keep them all fed and the washing done, but she's not that old herself and her only support is her boyfriend Mark. School's not going too well for Brian either. Whatever he does he seems to land in trouble, even when he doesn't mean to and his teacher sometimes despairs of him. What that boy needs is a good listening to. Brian does have a secret though - his cave. Full review...
Three Pickled Herrings (Wings and Co 2) by Sally Gardner
Emily Vole and the rest of the team at Wings and Co Fairy Detective Agency are worried. They have been open for five months and have not had a single case to solve. Then Sir Walter Cross dies in strange circumstances; shooting into the sky in a cloud of purple smoke before falling to his death. Shortly afterwards they receive more tales of bad luck and disaster from Mr. Rollo the tailor and the Smith family who have been preparing for their daughter Pandora’s wedding. Suddenly Emily, the Fairy Detectives and of course, the remarkable talking cat, Fidget, find themselves with not one but three cases to solve. Are Wings and Co. up to the task? Of course they are! Full review...
