Another day, another set of reviews! Today I'm looking at books for younger readers. Just because books are short doesn't mean they aren't as good as a longer book. There's next to no room for waffling, everything has to be direct, clear, and most of all FUN!
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| A young reader getting stuck in a book. |
Sticker Dolly Dressing:
Parties and Shopping Girls, 9/10
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| Hours of fun to be had! |
April 2013, Usborne, 48 pages (+ 28 of stickers), Paperback, Review copy
Different reasons for having a party, party in the park, bowling party, party food, party outfits, farewell party, different types of clothes, sport wear, loads of stickers,
Summary from Usborne
These dolls love going to parties and on shopping trips, and need
help getting ready! A bumper collection of the popular ‘Parties’ and
‘Shopping Girls’ Sticker Dolly Dressing books.
With a huge variety of scenes to choose, from a picnic in the park to shopping at a bustling street market.
With
over 700 stickers to customise the dolls’ outfits and accessories, as
well as fun extras including food and drink, toys and party games
Nayuleska's thoughts
I love how timeless these stickers are - there's something exciting about picking out which outfit to give to each girl, then making sure it's on properly. I didn't mind that I don't know which outfit is for which girl - you know why? It doesn't matter! The book lost a grade as sometimes the stickers aren't that easy to remove, and I'm sure the intended age group may be a bit rougher than I am.
Getting Dressed Sticker
Book: Weather and Seasons, 9/10
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| Oodles of fun! |
April 2013, Usborne, 16 pages (+ 8 of stickers), Paperback, Review copy
Themes: rain, snow, windy, sunshine, sleet, fog, clouds, spring, summer, autumn winter, activity suggestions for each type of weather & season, large variety of clothes (for both boys & girls),
Summary from Usborne
A fun way for little children to learn
what clothes to wear for different activities throughout the year, from a
sunny day at the beach to playing outside in the snow.
With over 160 stickers of clothes, accessories and fun extras to dress the children and complete the scenes.
Nayuleska's thoughts
I was intrigued about this sticker book because I love anything to do with the weather (partially related to the fiction I write, and partly because it's such an integral part of our lives. I liked how the reader gets to learn what type of clothes to wear for each situation. Make sure you pay attention which page number the stickers refer to - I sleepily put the wrong clothes in the wrong scenario, which ended up being extremely funny! As with previous sticker books it lost a grade because sometimes the stickers weren't all that easy to get out.
Tulsa and the Frog by Tony
Ross, 10/10 E
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| I like her name! |
2nd May 2013, Orion Children's Books, 54 pages, Paperback, Review copy
Themes: a not so ordinary girl with a definitely not ordinary frog, fairy tales, highly creative & active imagination, classical story characters, a story entering the real world, having fun, being yourself,
Content: lots of humour
Summary from Orion
Tulsa dreams of a life as exciting as the girls in her story books.
First she tries pretending to be Snow White, Pippi Longstocking and
Rapunzel. Then one day, in an enchanted forest behind her house, she
discovers a talking frog...
Nayulseka's thoughts
I didn't understand Tulsa's hatred of her name - it's so beautiful! I loved how engrossed she got in playing her favourite characters - she would only respond to that particular character's name, which her mum took in her stride. As for the frog, well, Tulsa proves she belongs with her favourite heroines.
Algy's Amazing Adventures
in the Jungle by Kaye Umansky, 10/10
2nd May 2013, Orion Children's, 80 pages, Paperback, Review copy
Themes: moving house, feeling disorientated, having to make new friends, wanting to be left alone, a vivid imagination, discovering another world, finding out things are never as bad as they seem, avoiding dangerous creatures, teamwork saving the day,
Content: mild peril, some humour
Summary from Orion
There are lots of things Algy doesn't like - top of the list is his
own name. Algernon is just weird. Pugh sounds a bit like - well, never
mind.
Other things on his list include: Girls, the Dark,
and Having Adventures. So imagine Algy's surprise when he finds a jungle
at the bottom of the garden of his new house! And imagine his
irritation when his annoying next door neighbour, Cherry - yes, a GIRL -
wants to come and explore it with him. She'll only giggle and whisper
if he doesn't go with her. But will they ever make it home again?
Nayuleska's thoughts
My favourite character was Cherry, not just because she has the same name as Cherry Jam in the show Strawberry Shortcake (they don't look alike)
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| Cherry Jam - who like Cherry can trust in her new friends to help out. |
but because she's book smart, and after an incident has to rely on Algy to save them both. It was fun trying to guess which item each creature might have been in the real world.
Jump Up and Join In:
Elephant's Birthday Bells by Carrie & David Grant, 9/10
3rd June 2013, Egmont, 24 pages, Paperback with CD, Review copy
Themes: rhymes, music, learning different levels of music, learning to be quiet and dainty, trying your best
Summary from Egmont
From the creators of hit CBeebies series Pop Shop comes a brand-new range of six energetic picture books, all about MAKING MUSIC!
Along with Meercat, Sheep, Giraffe and Polar Bear, meet Elephant,
whose trumpeting is too loud for the family band, and Lion, who finds an
edible solution to keeping in time.
Each book includes a CD with 7 tracks including a narration, a
sing-along song and lesson plans written by Carrie and David. So what
are you waiting for? JUMP UP and JOIN IN!
Nayuleska's thoughts
A song book isn't my usual kind of read, but I fell in love with the elephant so I read it to see what she was like. It is a cute book, with repetitive rhymes that children will find easy to pick up. I didn't listen to the CD, but I think it's good that it accompanies the book because then readers can do it all on their own, even if they can't read/understand the story.
Angel Wings: New Friends by Michelle Misra,
9/10
April 2013, Simon and Schuster, 114 pages, Paperback, Review copy
Themes: angels, boarding school, mean girls, being nervous, breaking the rules, awesome angelic items, kind and strict teachers, trying to do the best for your friends, getting into trouble,
Content: mild peril, lots of humour
Summary from Simon and Schuster
Ella might seem like your everyday girl, but she's anything but! She's a
trainee angel at the Guardian Angel Academy. But Ella is more impetuous
than your average angel, and can't help getting herself into all sorts
of trouble. Luckily for Ella, help is on hand in the shape of her
friends Poppy, Tilly and Jess - who try their best to keep her out of
mischief, and away from their dreaded classmate Primrose!
Join Ella
as she sets off on an adventure to Rainbow's End, a magical place and
home to the Forgotten Flower. Will Ella's penchant for trouble prevent
her from earning her wings and becoming an Archangel?
Nayuleska's thoughts
I adored the floating beds the girls had in their dorms - it's such a cool idea! (If only I didn't have a fear of heights...) This is a super cute series, with sweet elements (such as the reward system) which were inventive and had me wishing I go to the academy.
That's it for today - hope there are a few that have grabbed your interest. Keep reading!
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| I think she's the best girl to finish this post with! |
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