‘We’re not lab rats,’ I think, and when everyone turns to look at me, I realise I said it out loud.
A tale of twins. Rewilding. Family, wolves and jealousy – a book that has something in it that everyone can recognise.
A new wolf cub arrives at the sanctuary where Alpha & Lucy’s mother now works – small, alone and distressed. The only person who seems to be able to encourage Claw, is Lucy. Everything seems to revolve around this new cub and Lucy…
Alpha is into basket ball – it’s her thing…but her Mum seems not to see Alpha any more, just seems not notice her… then Alpha’s friends suggest that her Mum needs to be shown that she still has two daughters, not just the one…
This is a story of twins… their differences and ultimately what makes them special…
Actually it is also a story of sisters and what makes them special too!
Essentially this is a ‘Boarding School Book’ set in Nigeria – it is great fun – I loved it. The flavour though is very different from that of the usual school books set in England – the midnight feasts etc. The language and terminology, however, are a little different, but the friendships that are made – are the same the world over, but this is distinctly AFRICAN. As such it is rather special.
Jummy is going to the best girls school in Nigeria – her only regret is that her best friend won’t be coming with her. When that changes, however, and Caro arrives at the school, Jummy finds things are not quite as they should be.
Superb – a very special book. My Mum went to boarding school in Kenya (Kenya High) and somehow it made me wonder about her time – she wasn’t always as well behaved as she might have been…
So a different sort of Boarding School story – it’s wonderful.
This has more than a touch of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. Full of adventure and a legend all of its own – this will be enjoyed by all those looking for a hero, that’s a little different. From his earliest youth, Alex has avoided the sea…
For as long as Alex Neptune could remember, the sea had been trying to kill him.
Fun and full of unexpected characters (including an octopus) – this is really great fun. I LOVE Alex’s sister – she’s quite unique.
So – a younger Percy Jackson-esque series to come, of which this is the first.
Not based on classical legends – but none the less one that will be loved by everyone who likes a few Gods to be included in their adventures.
I picked this up for two reasons. Firstly because the cover has an illustration on the back that suggests it is about cricket and secondly, because the blurb indicates that there is a printing press in it.
It is a good story (I wouldn’t be writing this if it wasn’t) – I enjoyed it, however, I do have some concerns. Ajay, a street boy manages to get hold of a commercial printing press, on which he prints his newspaper the Mumbai Sun. At the end of chapter eleven Ajay has his text written out, ready for the press. The following chapter starts with him with a pile of newspapers ready to distribute. There is no mention of setting type, inking, or of where they obtained the electricity to run a commercial press. Or for that matter where they sourced the ink for the press. Also to have printed a newspaper, for the first time – to have set the type, laid it out and printed it, whether with a commercial press or a letter press, in one night, is highly unlikely. It is a question of continuity and I suppose, having lived in a house with printing presses (mostly Albion letter presses, but also several other kinds) and having experienced setting type and printing – this has rather coloured my feelings about the book.
This is a good story – and (I know very little about cricket) cricket is an important part of the story – so I am very pleased to have that too – I try to know of books with different sports in the plots – so that I can suggest them to readers who aren’t into reading, but are about their particular game. So that is rather good – and it has good pace – with corruption and danger – but, the continuity does trouble me. It wouldn’t have taken a great deal to find out about how the press could be set up – to suggest a way of getting the power to run a commercial press / or to have them use a letter press, that had been discarded as being out of date and previously kept for interest sake till thrown out…and to have explained about the type setting…It could have been better.
As I said, I have very little knowledge about cricket – so I can’t be relied upon to know about the games and references given – they seem to me to be right, but I can’t confirm. To me though, they did seem to have the right amount or edge – and the rivalry between the teams was just brilliant.
Continuity for books is as important as it is for films and Chicken House, I think, haven’t given quite the support they should have – the printing was rather glossed over. It is important for Adult literature, but more so for Children’s.
This is perhaps a Puffin of the old school, for slightly younger readers, perhaps.
‘She’s very long and narrow, a bit like a praying mantis. A praying mantis with an enormous blonde beehive hairdo. Her lips are painted the pink of cough medicine, her eyelids the blue of a peacock’s feather…’
When Charlie’s fathers inform him that they would like him to have a new baby sibling, he’s not sure that he’s up to it. He feels he might not be brave enough, after all aren’t big brothers supposed to look after their little siblings? Visits from officialdom begin to happen, but Charlie really isn’t sure. Life isn’t easy at the best of times – what with school bullies to contend with, life can be a bit much.
Then he finds himself responsible for a creature with similar features to a fox, however, all is not what it seems…
A lovely adventure story about finding out what it is to be ‘brave’. It is the Waterstones book of the month (for March) – apologies to all for the late review. Life has recently got a little out of hand at home…so my usual writing has gone a bit by the wayside!
Sue & Pakka's... 