Really Weird Removals.Com by Daniela Sacerdoti
| Really Weird Removals.Com by Daniela Sacerdoti | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Robert James
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| Summary: Strong characters, unusual creatures and a great location on a Scottish island make this stand out from the crowd of supernatural books out there! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 256 | Date: August 2012 |
| Publisher: Kelpies | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0863159022 | |
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Twelve-year-old Luca and his younger sister Valentina don't know their Uncle Alistair, who had a row with their father about a decade ago. When Alistair returns to the Scottish island of Eilean to try to put things right, their dad doesn't want to have anything to do with him - but when Luca and Valentina meet him and the ghost he's brought with him, they're desperate to help their uncle with his Really Weird Removals Company. While their parents think they're helping to exterminate ants and cockroaches, they're actually relocating mermaids, sea serpents and trolls - but not everything out there is friendly. Can Alistair keep them safe? And what exactly did cause his row with their father?
This is a charmer of a book with fun characters and a light touch which means even the introduction of baobhan sith (Scottish vampires), dragons and kelpies doesn't make it too scary for youngsters. I particularly enjoyed the central quartet of Luca, Valentina, Alistair and the ghost Camilla, but the various creatures they encounter are clearly described and easy to imagine. (The entries in Alistair's Scottish Paranormal Database do a great job of this, as well, and provide some tantalising teases for possible chapters of a sequel!) It's also great to see creatures like kelpies, selkies and stone fairies rather than the 'usual suspects' when it comes to monster fiction.
Throughout the entertaining confrontations - most of which are solved by helping the creatures people are complaining about - there is a strong central story as Alistair tries to repair his relationship with the children's father by showing him how responsible he's become. I really liked the satisfying resolution but would definitely be interested in reading more of the pair's adventures if there was a sequel in the future.
Definite recommendation to children looking for a funny and cleverly-plotted read.
If you like Daniela Sacerdoti's light, engaging style, I think you'd probably really enjoy I'm Dougal Trump... and it's not my fault! by Dougal Trump as well.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Really Weird Removals.Com by Daniela Sacerdoti at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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