Monday 7 March 2011

One Liners: An Avid Reader and Father Time Compromise #1

Hi guys!  So I bet you're wondering what this post is all about, right?  It's the start of a new review type here at the site and is best explained by the title it is given.  "One Liners:  An Avid Reader and Father Time Compromise"....meaning this is the place where my love of books meets a busy schedule and in lieu of passing up the chance to share the book with you, I'll share a few of the books read in brief; enough to pique your curiosity without over indulging.  Sound good?  Here goes....




Peely Wally by Kali Stileman
Release Date:  January 2011
Publisher:  Red Fox
Paperback
Review copy


Children's, Picture book

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Summary from Red Fox via Randomhouse:


Peely Wally was a small bird who lived high up in a tree . . .

One day she laid an egg.
This is the story of Peely Wally and the adventure of her egg!
Follow the dotted line and see where the egg goes! With lots of animals to spot and talk about and a butterfly to find on each page. Don't miss the special surprise at the end!


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Nayuleska's thoughts:
This is a cute book, with vibrant colours. Best bit: when the egg wobbles - there are faded images of it all next to each other giving a suggestion of moving. I loved opening the egg at the end and seeing Peely Wally's child.



Final Rating:
10/10



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Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice by Chris Wormell
Release Date:  January 2011
Publisher:  Randomhouse UK Juvenile
Hardback
Review copy


Children's, Picture book


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One day a small scruffy bear meets six terrified white mice; they’re scared of the dark forest and all the predatory creatures that live there, including an owl, a fox and a slithery snake… But never fear, Scruffy Bear has all kinds of ingenious ideas about how to keep them safe!








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Nayuleska's Thoughts:
Mice are hunted by many in the woods, but it's a good thing they have a quick thinking bear to help them escape. Even if the bear does look like a slimmed version of Winnie-the-Pooh occasionally. Apart from the owl, the predators are scary looking. More so the snake since I'm terrified of them. I quickly covered it up with my hands so I could continue reading.


Final Rating:
8/10




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Me and You by Anthony Browne
Release Date:  October 2010
Publisher:  Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
32 pages, Hardcover
Review copy



Children's, Picture book


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A small bear goes for a stroll in the park with his parents, leaving their bowls of porridge cooling on the kitchen table. Meanwhile, a girl with golden hair is hopelessly lost in a big, frightening city when she comes across a house with the door left invitingly open. Inside are three bowls of porridge in the kitchen, three chairs in the living room, and three comfortable-looking beds upstairs, and no one seems to be home . . .


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Nayuleska's Thoughts:
A non-cute version of Goldilocks. One page has graphic novel panels, the other has a large picture. Story is enjoyable, I was terrified by the bears though! So was the girl.



Final Rating:
7/10






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Morris the Mankiest Monster by Giles Andreae and Sarah McIntyre
Release Date:  January 2009
Publisher:  David Fickling Books
32 pages, Hardcover
Review Copy


Children's, Picture book


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Summary from David Fickling Books:

It’s years since he last changed his t-shirt
It’s crusty and crawling with ants
His shoes are all slurpy and squelchy inside
And potatoes grow out of his pants

Morris is sweet, charming... and completely disgusting!
Kids will absolutely LOVE him.



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Nayuleska's Thoughts:
Distinctly gross monster who will appeal to children who seem to thrive on gross themes.. And yet I couldn't help but look and admire the pictures :) Not for the faint hearted, or if you're eating/plan on eating food.



Final rating:
9/10




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Molly and the Night Monster by Chris Wormell
Release Date:   January 2010
Publisher:  Red Fox
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy


Children's, Picture book


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Summary from Red Fox via Random House:

When Molly wakes up in the middle of the night, she hears the sound of a step on the stairs. It could be a crocodile creeping up to catch her . . . Or a giant giraffe outside on the landing . . . Or an enormous elephant turning the doorknob and opening the door . . . Or even a night monster come to gobble her up . . .

But when Molly surprises the tiptoeing beast, she gets an even bigger surprise of her own!



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Nayuleska's Thought:
It's supposed to help ease nightmares and Molly's imagination. I found the illustrations really scary and as a child I would have been freaked out by this book. Even if there was a hug at the end, I wasn't reassured.


Final Rating:
 4/10 (the story was good)




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One Smart Fish by Chris Wormell
Release Date:  January 2011
Publisher:  Red Fox
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy


Children's, Picture book


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Summary from Red Fox via Random House:

Long ago in the deep ocean, there lived . . . one smart fish! He wasn’t the biggest and he wasn’t the boldest, but he was the cleverest. What this smart fish wanted more than anything else was to walk upon the land.
But everyone knows that fish can’t walk . . . can they?




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Nayuleska's Thoughts:
 Compared to the book above, I loved this book! It was vibrant and engaging. Some of the fish were a little scary, but it's a book that makes you think about change and evolution.



Final Rating:
7/10


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The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burrowy
Release date:  April 2009
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 
32 pages, Paperback
Review copy


Children's, Picture book

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It's a dark day for Itching Down. Four million wasps have just descended on the town, and the pests are relentless! What can be done? Bap the Baker has a crazy idea that just might work . . .
Young readers will love having this lyrical, rhyming text in a new accessible format as they watch the industrious citizens of Itching Down knead, bake, and slather the biggest wasp trap there ever was!


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Nayuleska's Thoughts:
Very clever story of how villagers defeat the wasps. Lots of detail to the illustrations, although they aren't my favourite style. Original book published 1972.



Final Rating:
7/10



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Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really Dreadful Spell by Kristina Stephenson
Release Date:  October 2007
Publisher:  Egmont Books Ltd
32 pages, Hardcover
Review copy


Children's, picture book


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Summary from Egmont Books Ltd:

Once upon a time, there was a deep, dark forest, where monstrous trees groaned, terrible beasties moaned and wiggly woos waited to tickle your toes. Nobody ever went there until...

Sir Charlie Stinkysocks, his good grey mare and his pet cat Envelope decide the time has come for a really big adventure. Sir Charlie packs his best sword and his sandwiches and off he goes, over the hills and far away, until he gets to the deep, dark forest. Sir Charlie doesn't flinch when he meets the beasties, or the dragon, or the wily witch, but when he comes across the princess, he realises he's met his match!



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Nayuleska's Thoughts:
This has a high appeal, for stinky socks are known throughout the world as being a bit gross. It's cute that it's the socks which gets rid of the spell. I liked the egg timer on each page showing how time passed. The flaps added an extra element to the book, although sometimes it was confusing which part of the flap I had to read first.


Final Rating:
9/10



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Hope you found a few titles to add to your TBR list!  Happy reading!
 
 









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