The Littlest Detective in London by Suzy Brownlee

11/09/2009 05:53:00 PM Posted In 0 Comments »

April 2009, Prospera Publishing
192 pages, Paperback
Review copy

Children's

Cushions: 3
Smiles: 5
Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Just because Clemmy is under four foot tall doesn't mean she is short on ideas. Life has been a little strange since her mother disappeared a year ago. Her father hasn't really done anything about it (a big clue that he knows something he's not letting on - the bigger clue is in the prologue, told from Clemmy's mother's point of view as she is kidnapped). Clemmy wouldn't have known where to start looking for information, if it hadn't been for the uber-rich, beautiful 14 year old Natasha's mobile phone. Well, perhaps I'm jumping ahead a little.

It all really begins when Clemmy has to go and stay with Mrs Mac, her permanent babysitter after school and in the holidays. Mrs Mac adores food, so much so that what could have been swear words get turned into phrases like 'Cranberries and custard' (pg 39). There are worse things to put with, like having to hide in a bathroom and think up a way to make the smoke alarm go off so the crime lord's daughter won't capture her. I was stumped for ideas of things to burn in a bathroom, but 9 year old Clemmy finds a way.

Every young detective needs help. The way Clemmy teams up with Japanese Pete, who loving calls her Short Stuff-chan, is entertaining and memorable. Swans have an extra reason for making me smile now. Fortunately Pete doesn't take Clemmy as seriously as he should, leaving Clemmy with opportunities to find out more about the mystery which began in Mrs Mac's knitting club. I've been to knitting clubs, and where I live there are no spies, no diamond encrusted mobile phones and no rat-like cats.

Natasha wouldn't be caught dead in a knitting club - why bother when she can buy a £5000 outfit? She loves her father dearly, and is doing all she can to get him out of prison. Strange as it may seem, he didn't deserve to be there for the particular crime he was accused of. Clemmy's acquisition of her phone enrages Natasha. Out comes a plastic spider to help Natasha get her precious phone back. Trust me when I say that fake spider is more productive than her henchman who should never have arrived in England. Igor, Natasha's underling back home (well, technically her father's but she's in charge now) makes a mistake. Poor Hench (seriously, that is his name) and his silver tracksuits make the wrong impression on Natasha. She's resourceful, and manages to outwit poor Clemmy - but not for long.

It's not as if many issues get resolved by the end of the book. I suspected the sequel would be a carry over of this story, and I was right. I checked out Suzy Brownlee's website for The Littlest Detective, and discovered that the series is currently planned to span 8 books - including a trip for Clemmy and Natasha to Tokyo! (The significance is that I love anything to do with Japan so am eager for that installment of the series).

The Littlest Detective in London is a hilarious, fun adventure story which everyone can enjoy. I like the music video (check out the Littlest Detective website) which intrigued me before reading the book, and makes more sense now I've read it. Additionally the realistic pictures inside the book really bring out the emotion in the story - the look on Clemmy or Natasha's face either has me laughing or wanting to cry. Amidst the laughter there is a subtle pain and anguish for both girls. Having Natasha's point of view shows that evil villains aren't all bad, and they have their own worries too. Yes, I feel a bit sorry for Natasha, but only a little.

Details of Suzy Brownlee's sequel The Littlest Detective in Paris (which will hopefully be reviewed here) can be found on her website and also at Prospera Publishing's website.

The Dresskeeper by Mary Naylus

11/09/2009 03:36:00 PM Posted In , , 0 Comments »

30th November 2009, Prospera Publishing
238 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Children's/Young Adult, Historical

Cushions: 5
Paperclips: 0.5
Pencils: 5
Tissues: 2
Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
I'm pretty sure most of people at some point in their childhood played dress-up - be it with their parents' clothes, siblings wardrobe (which later in life is no longer dress-up) or a box with costumes in. The thrill of wearing something different didn't exactly touch Picky (Penelope) in her dementia suffering grandmother's attic. Being locked in there by her grandmother, without food, water, mobile phone or bathroom facilities has Picky searching for something to sleep on. The old clothes she found weren't the warmest, so she put one dress on. That was the moment which changed her life forever.

Taken back in time, Picky takes on the persona of a rich 13 year old called Amelia. Aside from the fact that someone murders Amelia on that first time travel incident, leaving Picky covered in fresh blood which isn't her own (yes her mother asked a lot of questions), Picky likes Amelia's life. For a girl whose skin isn't perfect and whose figure isn't seen as anorexic, Picky loves Amelia's smooth face and hair. But she can't stay in Amelia's life - she has her own to lead.

Time travelling proves entertaining as she finds excuses for appearing in the same place in the house of Mrs Malik the seamstress. Most people might burn the dress after nearly dying in it. Not Picky. She wants to stop Amelia's murder taking place. She doesn't love the sights and smells of 17th century London, but the people touch her heart. Some are more similar to her friends in the modern world than she originally imagined them to be. There are some positively evil men (who don't look or smell nice), one of whom poor Picky (as Amelia) is doomed to marry.

Written in first person, The Dresskeeper took me away to a complicated world. Life isn't easy for Picky, having to keep an eye on her little brother Ollie (who isn't all that polite to people), helping her mother out by looking after her grandmother (who can't help being ditzy), and dealing with her moron of a father who appears in her life when feels it's best. Top that with constantly fighting against the Demon and the Demon worshippers (not in the literal sense of the word) at school (anorexic smokers) who take bets against other pupils (Picky and her friends), Picky has a tremendous amount of courage to get through normal life, and heaps of guts for risking her life in the past to help a girl she doesn't even know. I related to her tale on a lot of levels - apart from the time travelling.

Picky's voice is really funny. All the details she notices about people in her own time, are the kind of details she notices about people in the past (what they look like, how they smell (taken in context it isn't all that weird)). Aside from the distinct lack of underwear and washing facilities, I'd love to try on the dresses Picky gets to wear. I could do without the madman putting a knife to her throat. Blood might be thicker than water, but it won't come out easily of dresses in a time without washing machines or reliable detergent.

What she does at the end of the book, after her escapade in the past is finished, is really sweet and has me desperately hoping there might be a sequel to this. It isn't completely out of the question - she could find time travelling clothes in another place, leading to further adventures. And the end itself leads me as a reader to question what does happen next.

Only a few minor areas had me going 'hm' when Picky magically transfered from the past to the present, but I understand that it's not exactly exciting to learn of every time she sneaks in/out of the past (or present). I love the cover art for this book - simple yet effective, making me wish for a copy of that particular dress.

The good news is that Mary Naylus has written another book. The bad news, The Plaguemaker isn't due out until 2010.

For more information on The Dresskeeper, check out Prospera Publishing's website.

Mirror Space by Marianne de Pierres

11/08/2009 06:45:00 PM Posted In 0 Comments »

5th November 2009, Orbit
394 pages, Paperback
Review Copy

Science Fiction

Cushions: 4
Paperclips: 5
Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥

Sci-fi with jellyfish! Not literally jelly fish, but jelly fish type beings are keeping Mira Fedor. imprisoned. All because she's pregnant. Apparently they are interested in the regeneration abilities she possesses, and her fetus has them in a higher ability. It's a good thing for her that she's got a few mercenaries looking to rescue her. Although she was doing a good job on her own, by befriending one of the jelly-fish like creatures she escapes her prison. Or tries to. You can only get so far when a planet is in the process of regenerating.

The story follows the point of views of the other characters, including the evil man Tekton who raped Mira and is in love with himself, the female mercenary Rast who is looking to save Mira for what appears to be similar reasons as Jo-Jo, and Thales who learns a few things about a friend which he'd rather not know.

I didn't get much further into the highly imaginative world of alien beings in different worlds - I stopped at half way. The content had a few blushables up until then, but the S&M content wasn't for me.

Marianne de Pierres has written several series, which can be found on her website. I'll be checking them out when I can.

Like this? Try Nova War by Gary Gibson

Wishing For Tomorrow by Hilary McKay

11/08/2009 10:07:00 AM Posted In 2 Comments »

September 2009, Hodder Children's
265 pages, Paperback PROOF copy (missing illustrations plus some content could be a bit different to the published copy. Published copy is a Hardback edition)
Review Copy

Children's

Clouds: 3
Cushions: 2
Smiles: 5+
Tissues: 2
Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+

The story of A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett was published 1904. I never realised it was so old. It's a timeless tale of how a rich girl, Sara, enters Miss Minchkin's boarding school. Spoilt rotten by her father, she ends up as a maid when her father dies leaving behind a legacy of debt. Her imagination gets her through the tough times, as does the mysterious appearance of luxury in her pokey attic room. It turns out that her father's riches still exist, and upon regaining her status she leaves the school.

Hilary McKay, like many readers and writers wondered what happened next to the girls left behind at Miss Minchkin's. Thus Wishing for Tomorrow was born, detailing the story of the girls. Primarily the story follows the life of Ermengarde, who befriended Sara at the school. It includes a look back of how Ermengarde felt when she first met Sarah. She was happy with Sara, and now her friend is gone she gets a bit depressed. Through lots of letters she keeps Sara informed of her current life, letters which are written in a different font and that are highly entertaining. By the end of the book Ermendgarde has matured a lot. She realises how she acted towards Sara was a little childish.

However, no one can be more childish than the tearaway Lottie! I haven't been able to re-read A Little Princess, but I remember Lottie being a handful. That is an understatement to how she acts in Wishing for Tomorrow. Ermengarde has been asked by Sara to keep an eye on Lottie, and to try and keep her out of trouble. I nearly had tears pouring down my face at Lottie's behaviour. She's a little minx!

A funny snippet is when Ermengarde listens to Lottie praying.

Page 68 [Ermengarde writes in her letter to Sara] 'And so I went up and she was hopping around on one leg saying she was a flamingo and her prayer was:

Dear God
I think I would rather be the only green flamingo in the world
Than pink.

[Lottie carries on saying:] Nothing happened to her! I am sure if I ever prayed a prayer like that I would be struck down dead.
I said this to Lottie.
'God is used to me,' said Lottie. [End of quote].

I'm sure you're smiling after reading that line! The charming Lottie causes the incident at the end of the book, not that anyone really blames her for it - accidents happen. As a result of the accident bossy Lavinia turned bookworm gets what she wants (a private tutor), and the girls end up a lot happier outside of Miss Minchkin's.

From the entertaining Jessica (who I didn't remember at all from A Little Princess), to the new maid Alice who cuts corners in her duty, the characters are all memorable in their own way. Hilary's depiction of Bosco the cat is a must read. This cat sees humans as his slaves - which is exactly how cats behave in real life. Here's a small extract of Bosco's view of life:

page 227 (page numbers may be different in the published copy) 'Bosco could light fires by willpower. [No, he doesn't have a special ability. He is just a sensible cat] He could also fill food dishes and empty his favourite chair by the same useful force. His method was simple: he sat and gazed at the object to be controlled. It always worked; sooner or later, some human slave would come along and notice his implacable, golden stare.'

Sara does make an appearance, mostly through letters, but also at the end during the incident which changes the girls' lives forever. Her time of being poor served its purpose and she appreciates the luxury she's now kept in.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about how the characters viewed Sara, especially Miss Minchkin and her sister. Poor Miss Minchkin feels haunted by Sara, all thanks to Ermengarde's adoption of Sara's cloak. I definitely want to read A Little Princess again with these views in mind.

Hilary McKay has done an excellent job of writing a sequel for the timeless classic A Little Princess. It's got me wondering what will happen next in the girls' lives - maybe she will write another book in this series.

Hilary McKay's website is here.

Like this? Make sure you read the original A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Iain Smyth

11/06/2009 04:26:00 PM Posted In , 1 Comment »

October 2009, Bloomsbury
12 pages, Hardback
Review Copy

Children's, Picture book

Clouds: 4
Smiles: 5
Yunaleska's recommended rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

This frog really does have a wide mouth - all my fingers can fit in its mouth! The frog goes out and asks all sorts of animals what type of food they eat. It's fortunate they all eat different food, so none of them will starve. I think the frog might take a big gulp when he received the crocodile's answer. However, the frog has a handy solution for making himself disappear. Well, part of himself. It's the clever touch to the story which I'm sure will make children laugh.

The story itself is in a repetitive style which children can easily pick up and say along with whoever reads to them, or is good for when they read on their own. The illustrations are shown on white pages, with accurate portrayal of the colouring of the animals. The crocodile doesn't look too scary, so hopefully children wouldn't get nightmares from looking at it. It is a cute crocodile!

Liked this? Try The Trouble With Dragons by Debi Gliogi

Boom! by Mark Haddon

11/05/2009 03:57:00 PM Posted In 5 Comments »

September 2009, David Fickling Books
195 pages, Hardback
Review Copy

Children's

Cushions: 4
Smiles: 5
Yunaleska's recommended rating:♥♥♥♥♥

Titles that give a suggestion of an explosion get my vote. As does the bright orange, almost glow in the dark cover. I say almost because I'm writing this as the dusk is starting to fall, and while everything on the table looks a bit dull, the book stands out beside my laptop.

Something does indeed go boom (near the end). Several people, including a secondary character end up with sore heads/hands. There are spiders, of varying sizes in the book. And lots of humour.

After an incident involving a sandwich falling from a great height, Jim is concernced, thanks to his sister, that he might be getting kicked out of school and sent away to one where he'll be reformed. His best friend Charlie, ever supportive of Jim, suggests they plant a walkie-talkie in the staffroom. Everything goes to plan, neither get caught. However, they discover two of their teachers speaking a different language after everyone has gone.

At this point I thought 'spies!'. Jim and Charlie investigate further - although Charlie's investigation might equate to stalking. My poor stomach somersaulted as the duo sat in one teacher's loft when she entered the house. What they find in the loft is curious - although not have as interesting as being threatened by a mysterious person with flashing blue eyes.

Not ones to give up after a small threat involving a damaged table, Jim and Charlie continue their investigations, which lead them far away from home. It also bonds Jim with his older, rebellious sister. I like a girl who happily whacks the enemy on the head with a stick. (don't worry, they live. Unfortunately) I didn't like her choice in boyfriend - and neither does the rest of her family. He gets what he deserves too.

This humourous tale is enhanced by the entertaining chapter titles - e.g. chapter 6, captain chicken. Also the simple illustrations which divide up a chapter, usually corresponding to what happens within the story there. The aubergines made me hungry (and wanting aubergines).

All the characters are memorable - including Charlie's mother, a quick-tempered cook known to throw breadboards when angry, Jim's father who transforms into a gourmet chef, and the spiders who carry orange coloured toilet plungers.

I feel it important to note that this book has been in print before: as Mark explains in the foreword, it bore the title Gridzbi Spudvetch! which quite rightly makes zero sense unless you read the book. Boom! - well that title intrigues the imagination readily enough, and I think is selling more copies than the original.

Mark Haddon's website, full of humour found in his work, is here.

Like this? Try Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Thirsty Thursday #7 a day early

11/04/2009 05:05:00 PM Posted In 3 Comments »
This is a day early because today turned out differently than planned. Due to this wonderful thing called life, I'm looking back on October AND September. The months were interesting.

  • I got new donators: Orbit, Prospera Publishing
  • I've also been asked by an upcoming author to review their work. Expect more info next year (but the news happened recently so I'm going yay!)
  • I've branched out into holding competitions, which seems to be going well.

Books reviewed over the last two months:

  • Non-fiction
  • Terra by Richard Hamblyn
Wow. 50 books. In two months (less than expected due to various gremlins). Just wow.

I posted about a semi-new idea of a protection policy for those entering competitions


I also won the following awards (yes...I'm only just putting them up now!)

I held the following competition

And no author interview but I got interviewed!
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