.jpg)
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |
Early Reader Book Reviews
Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives
Jennifer Bell, illus. Sarah Horne, pub. Walker Books
Buck and Ears are hopeless pirates. During their first venture into captaining their own ship, the crew held a mutiny and they ended up on the shores of Scuttleflint Bay. Then, just as they are feeling that all hope is lost, an unexpected opportunity comes their way – the terrifying Captain Bloodfang needs their help to find her missing friend. The menacing captain has one condition, however, solve the mystery by sunset on Saturday or become dinner for her crew. Will the pair be able to solve the mystery before the captain and her crew turn them into a stew?
This story will have you gripped from the off; the brilliant beginning sets up the struggle of the main characters, that combined with the brilliantly funny naming of the characters and places throughout the book will have you chuckling along. There are twists and turns throughout the story and plenty of clues to keep the reader thinking about the mystery as they go. To start with, Buck and Ears have to find themselves a new crew to help with the mission so the bunch of misfits that they find make an interesting blend.
Jennifer Bell is a fantastic author who has a brilliant writing style and a wonderful mind for creating subtle humour. This book has a great pace to it and there is never a dull moment. Sarah Horne’s illustrations throughout the book are varied and bring the story to life for the reader, allowing them to take part in the investigation alongside the characters. Keep an eye out for Agatha Fishty on the pages as well, if you spot her you might spot one of the main clues which can help you solve the mystery. Will you do it before Buck and Ears or will you be stew too?
Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives is a fabulous story. It’s engaging from start to finish and includes you, the reader, in the case and the mystery as you read along and discover the clues with the characters. A must-read for any young detectives out there!
Tom Joy
Captain Sunshine
Alex Milway, pub. Piccadilly Press
This book opens the porthole to a brand new high-seas adventure for 'Captain Sunshine'.
Bella Day finds herself on a rescue mission, she needs to find people to stand-in for the crew who have just fled at the eleventh-hour, leaving the passengers and remaining crew of the Sunshine high and dry just before the ship's most important maiden voyage. Although Bella has never captained anything before, has she got what it takes to dig deep and become Captain Sunshine?
Once I had got over the fact that Bella is the only human person on board - she has an aunt who is a talking walrus in human clothes - in fact all the characters are sea creatures in human clothes (apart from the merdogs) - then the caper began to sizzle. I was entranced by the ship full of animal crew and passengers - from penguins to rhinos, frogs to parrots, and the enchanting merdogs. Life is definitely never dull on this legendary cruise ship.
Will Bella steer her way through the ship's predicaments and tribulations? Will she find a way to stymie 'The Goliath'? There is fun, mystery and plenty of laughter with this story and you’ll quickly be drawn in, excited to read, then excited to wait for the next instalment. And, after my initial surprise, well, bless my cockles! I fell hook, line and sinker in love with the characters. So, I urge you to read the book and hold hard for Bella's next maritime adventures.
Carol Farley
Detectograms: The Mole Who Went Undercover
Tim Collins, illus. Steven Wood, pub. Buster Books
You, the reader, and one of the greatest young detectives in the country, have been called in once more by Inspector Cross to help prevent the art crime of the century by none other than master criminal, Silas Ridley. This time you are partnered with Millie the Mole: an actual mole, trained to track Silas’ distinctive ‘deadly nightshade’ aftershave. Together you are going undercover, but first you must disguise yourself and win Silas’ trust.
The Mole Who Went Undercover once again places the reader at the centre of the story, one that has more than 45 mystery puzzles. From solving mathematical conundrums, honing your observational skills, tracing the fast routes, making quick decisions and reading carefully witness statements to identify who is lying, there is a lot going on! Whilst the answers are at the back, should you wish to check, you have to be super confident in your ability as Silas might pounce on any mistake and find out the truth. As Silas promises, if you betray him, he will hit you where it hurts.
To make it more complicated, Silas used to do your job, until he turned to crime, and he can’t help but make everything cryptic: it’s the way his mind works. Consequently it seems there are wheels within wheels as the reader solves the puzzles and follows the story. You’ll soon find yourself working out what Silas is planning on stealing, when, how and, even more importantly, how the Police can stop him. Can they apprehend Silas and put him back in prison? Do you think it’s going to be easy? Eh, of course it is…!
Tim Collins’ writing is fast paced and witty, allowing readers to enjoy the repartee between the characters whilst poking lots of fun at the ineptitude of the Police. Moreover, Steven Wood’s illustrations add another level of challenge, after all, you never know whether some detail in the drawing might be another clue.
Warning, The Mole Who Went Undercover must ONLY be read by super sleuths. Do you think you are good enough?
Simon Barrett
Dino Racers: The Jungle Cup and the Lava Cup
Andy Day, illus. Alex Patrick, pub. Puffin Books
Deep in a land where mountains rumble and volcanoes roar ... Where deserts and oceans are alive with excitement ... Dinosaurs gather for the most thrilling sport in history. They gather to watch the ... DINO RACERS!
It's race day at Rumble Ridge, join the rest of the spectators as you prepare to watch the Dino Racers try their best to be the best. It’s going to be action-packed, it’s going to be exciting, you might even want snacks! However with two short stories in this one book there isn’t much time to sit back and relax, the pace is fast, the races are thrilling and you’ll soon be drawn in.
Who are we rooting for though? Well, the racers are Trexy, Bumper, Stretch, Flappa and Zoomer and there are two cups they are hoping to win. First there is the Jungle Cup then the Lava Cup, the bite-sized chapters making each one even more thrilling (and yes, pun intended!) Then there are the tricksy teammates who should be helping one another out of the mud so they can speed to glory but who might also have their own agendas.
With its larger font, illustrations, fast pace and familiar author there is plenty to draw children to this book and it’s certainly ideal for newly independent readers who want to be able to get their teeth into a book on their own. This looks like it is going to be a fun series.
Helen Byles
Dylan the Dino Boy Saves the Zoo
Andy Day, illus. Alex Patrick, pub. Puffin Books
The cover tells us that Dylan the Dino Boy Saves the Zoo, is ‘written by children’s TV star Andy Day’. Many young children, and their parents, will know Andy from his television programmes on CBeebies focusing on animals and nature. They may also know him from his child-friendly pop-rock band Andy and the Odd Socks. There’s even a photograph of Andy on the back of the book which will act as a reminder. Andy Day’s writing is accompanied by the vibrant fun-filled illustrations of Alex Patrick which really bring the text to life.
Dylan is ‘an average, every day, ordinary boy’ until he sneezes. The sneeze has given him the ability to turn himself into any dinosaur that he likes. He starts by turning himself into a Majungosaurus whilst on the bus to school. This causes chaos for all the adults in the street, but Dylan’s school friends are clearly delighted. With his ability to turn into a dinosaur, Dylan is always the centre of attention, even on a school trip to the zoo. There, he poses for photographs, makes everyone laugh, and even teaches the animals new tricks. Dylan thinks he is one of a kind until he meets a young girl called Dilly. Whenever Dilly burps, she too can turn into any kind of dinosaur. In order to prove which of them is the best ‘dino kid’, Dylan and Dilly have a competition, turning themselves into dinosaurs to show which is the strongest, the fastest, the loudest etc. All the other children love watching the two ‘dino kids’ compete, but as the events take place the zoo gets wrecked and the Zookeeper calls an end to their fun. Dylan and Dilly realise what they have done and apologise to the zookeeper and agree to work together, using their dinosaur attributes to put everything right.
Children will love the chaos the two dino kids make, and they will no doubt giggle with at the burping and sneezing of the two. I really liked the fact that Andy Day has chosen some lesser-known dinosaurs to include in the book, and also that the name of each dinosaur is sounded out to make it easier to read. There is a useful Dinosaur spotting guide on the reverse of the front and back covers which, very helpfully, gives the dinosaurs’ names and their meaning. There are lots of things to look at on each page, and there’s even a hidden peacock to search for.
Damian Harvey
Galaxy Runners: Jello Breaks the Universe
James Lancett, pub. Scholastic
Combining space adventures with some graphic novel strips, short chapters and a highly illustrated book is a genius idea on the part of author/illustrator James Lancett. In Galaxy Runners he has, as a result, created a highly accessible book with a very silly story that many young readers will be able to access and enjoy. It’s a new pathway into reading for many and may help some to discover which type of storytelling they enjoy the most - maybe all of them!
Is there a chance you happen to have something you want delivered? Don’t go via the usual channels, not if you want it delivered into space and with no questions asked. The Galaxy Runners are the team you need to go to. They are Kas and Fig, twins who run the business and aim to work against the mighty and greedy Warp Co. They’re aided by Skipper, an artificial assistant who loves to take risks, especially as he flies them around space, and of course, Mags, their hired security. They might be making a quick space buck each time you trust your deliveries to them but you know that your parcels are in good hands. In fact they are so well-renowned for not asking questions and doing great deliveries that they are trusted with a mysterious canister. It’s not long before they are being chased by the bad guys because this canister contains Jello, an adorable alien with shapeshifting and life-changing powers…
You’ll laugh-out-loud at the antics of the crew and their passenger as they attempt to deliver Jello safely and escape the clutches of Warp Co. How they do it and here they end up…well I’m sure you’d like to discover that for yourselves!
Louise Ellis-Barrett
G.O.A.T. The Greatest of All Time
Karelle Tobias, illus. Harry Briggs, pub. Little Tiger
G.O.A.T. who is also known by his longer name of ‘Greatest Of All Time,’ arrives on Harmony Farm eager to prove his worth. Be prepared, therefore, for plenty of hilarity as you settle in to enjoy laugh-out-loud farm-based stories, farm-based chaos and this wonderfully silly graphic novel for our younger readers.
When he arrives at the farm Goat brags to the other animals about all his previous achievements in the hope he can fit in and find his role in this new home of his, but everything already seems to be running smoothly. Rooster is the one to give him an idea of the lay of the land and a tour, of course in the process feathers are ruffled! When Horse’s dance moves, apparently legendary, are insulted things really seem to be taking a turn for the worse until Horse decides the solution is to have an epic dance-off! Let the battle begin. With P.I.G on the music everyone gets dancing and anyone who stops is out…
Join Goat on his search to fit in as he meets all the other farm characters - big and bold, small and mighty, none of whom are giving up their jobs!
This is a great graphic novel, packed full of humour. The illustrator, Harry Briggs, has cleverly shown expressions on each of the creatures that add so much to the story for the reader and I love the mix of full spread and sections used to present the story. This book is perfect for early readers, presented as it is, in short, friendly chapters alongside the clever visuals. The bright pages will appeal to many and I know my niece and nephew (both 6) will love it!
Hayley Reeve
Ivy and Bearlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Dinosaur Fossil
Kristyna Litten, pub. Magic Cat
Ivy and her grandfather are back for another sleuthing adventure and not only are they ready to ask for your help with finding the thief, but they also want to help you learn more about palaeontology and the importance of dinosaur fossils. Plus, if you’ve ever wondered how fossils are formed there is some information on that too.
Ivy’s home Bearona, has a remote Jurassic Ridge, where a dinosaur fossil has gone missing and who better to investigate the mystery of who would do this than Ivy and her grandfather Bearlock Holmes? They are super-sleuths and have a knack for solving the trickiest of cases, they should be able to solve this one, surely? They can, with your help. They have given you fifteen puzzles, spread through the story, to solve. If you can do that you will be helping them and well on your way to being a super-sleuth too! Be prepared for twists, turns and surprises as the story unfolds. It is certainly not as simple as you might imagine.
Through a series of short chapters, packed with graphic novel style storytelling, facts, illustrations and much more, readers can follow in the footsteps of our brave investigators as well as spot patterns, follow the trail and test possible theories. There is so much in this book that young readers are certain to stay engaged, it’s so much more than a story, there is fact and fiction, science, dinosaur history and adventure too. A brilliant second book with the promise of a third to come in due course.
Louise Ellis-Barrett
K-Pop Spirit Academy
Joheun Lee, illus. Silvia Brunetti, pub. Farshore
So, let’s be honest I am a 46 year old woman with 2 teenage boys so I have absolutely no idea what K-Pop was, so good old Google came to my rescue when I was asked to review this book. I now know and that information really helped when reading this book.
Welcome to Spirit Academy – the ultimate Idol training academy for future K-Pop superstars. Class has just started, and shy Sanha has no idea why she’s here. She loves singing, but only on her own in front of the mirror where only she can see and hear herself. Plus, she is permanently in the shadow of her sister – the school’s legendary K-Pop popstar. Sanha finds it easiest to hide in school and chooses to retreat to the bathrooms to eat her lunch. It’s in this unusual lunch location that she meets three other girls hiding for different reasons. It seems to be going well until they are rudely interrupted by the appearance of a wild bog monster! After accidentally defeating it, the group discovers the school has been hiding a secret – it’s actually the training ground for young monster-slayers, and teaches the magical skills needed to take down the terrifying network of underground spirits trying to take over the world.
Fast-tracked into training alongside the school’s most elite, the girls become firm friends. But when vampires kidnap Sanha’s sister, the friends face their biggest challenge yet – they have to find a way to crash a concert, undercover as the hottest new girl group, with Sanha as their lead singer. Can she find her voice so the group can kick those monsters back to the underworld once and for all? It’s all just another day at the Spirit Academy. Are you ready to pay a visit?
Filled with plenty of illustrations to accompany the action, this book is lots of fun for younger children who are beginning to gain independence in their reading choices. I can see this series being extremely popular in schools up and down the country.
Helen Byles
Mega Pets: Freaky Food Fiasco
Gary Northfield, pub. Walker Books
Just imagine if we had to rely on our pets to save the world! Gary Northfield has done just that and the result is Mega Pets.
When Daisy the Dog, Ginger the Cat and Bubbles the Goldfish accidentally eat contaminated pet food, they immediately develop super powers. The trouble is, lots of other people’s pets do too and it’s up to our trio of Mighty Mega Pets to solve the mystery of the super substance and stop the others from causing chaos throughout the town. As their new alter-egos, Dash Hound, Electrocatic and Mind Fish, they do battle with laser beams from next door’s cat, grapple with a rabbit with spaghetti arms and a taste for vandalism and encounter the Ruffians, three time-travelling superdogs whose diminutive boss has big plans for world domination. If only they had allowed their friend Arthur the tortoise to join their team! Oh wait - maybe that wasn’t such a good idea?
Fans of Dogman and Donut Squad will love the laugh out loud fast-paced action and the mayhem of the full-coloured illustrations from the pen of Gary Northfield, who also contributes to Phoenix Comics, The Beano and The Dandy. So brace yourselves for the trio’s next madcap adventure, coming soon, as they encounter the Dino Duck Disaster.
Hilary Kemp
Monsieur Mustard: The Disappearance of Fabio Fangtooth
Charley Rabbit, pub. Andersen Press
Step into the fashionable paws of the world’s smallest, and most stylish, detective in this irresistible new mystery series opener.
When Bath’s newest arrival, restaurant owner Fabio Fangtooth, vanishes mid-bowl of alphabet soup, it falls to the recently relocated Monsieur Mustard to sniff out the truth. He’s barely off the train from Paris before his detective bag is stolen, his monocle is smashed, and it becomes very clear to him that not everyone in Bath is thrilled to have the famous mouse on their patch. What follows is a wonderfully chaotic investigation, packed with suspects, red herrings and a genuinely brilliant cast of side characters. Mustard is aided (and occasionally hindered) by his self-appointed sidekick Mobbsy Slewfoot, the endearingly nervous ‘rodent of mystery,’ along with a well-meaning but bumbling Police Inspector Podge and a pigeon police force who prove more trouble than they’re worth. Whether or not the villain is caught before catching Mustard first keeps the pages turning right to the end.
What sets this book apart is its format, a gorgeous, cleverly designed mix of illustrated chapter book and graphic novel, with newspaper clippings woven through for good measure. The mustard and black colour scheme gives every page a distinctive, stylish flair that matches its dapper hero perfectly, and it makes the book just as fun to look at as it is to read.
This is a story built for young detectives; full of clues to track, a touch of mild peril, and more than a few nervous trumps for comic relief. It’s ideal for readers who want their mysteries, funny and beautifully illustrated, and it’s exactly the kind of book that turns reluctant readers into eager ones. Great fun to read out loud and I’ll be recommending Monsieur Mustard to anyone in my library after a mystery with a bit of French flair and a soft spot for pigeons in disguise.
Arabella Chute
Tales of the Cobb Street Commandos
Tony Bradman, illus. Aleksei Bitskoff, pub. Faber & Faber
Written for young readers, Tales of the Cobb Street Commandos contains three fun, fact- filled stories set in London during the Second World War.
It’s 1941 and everyone is playing their part, as needed, in the war against the Nazis. Jimmy’s dad is in the navy and his mum works in a factory making ‘vital equipment for the Royal Air Force.’ Jimmy wants to get involved too but it seems that there is nothing ‘for kids his age to do.’ Not wanting to be left out, Jimmy and his friends form a top-secret unit, and they call themselves the Cobb Street Commandos (CSC). They even have their own secret headquarters in a bombed-out house which has union jacks and a picture of ‘Old Winnie’ (Winston Churchill), on the wall. The only thing that they don’t have is a mission, but that all changes when Jimmy spots a poster advertising Spitfire Week – a campaign to raise money for the building of Spitfire aeroplanes. Jimmy has lots of fundraising ideas and he’s determined that the CSC will raise the most money, perhaps even earning themselves medals for their effort. In the second of the three stories, Jimmy and his gang help the local Home Guard, nicknamed Dad’s Army, when they take part in a training day with Regular Army Instructors. And in the third story Jimmy comes up with a plan to meet Old Winnie so he can find out what has happened to his dad – reported as missing in action.
The three stories are a delight to read and are perfectly pitched for young readers who will enjoy the idea of a secret gang with their own secret headquarters. The stories are full of historical facts, perfectly woven into the stories by Tony Bradman so the reader never feels that they are just reading a list of facts. As well as being enjoyable, independent reads for children, these books would make great class reads for children learning about the second world war and the impact it had on everyday life. Aleksei Bitskoff’s illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to the stories, adding to the fun, but never trivialising what is going on. This is the first set of Tales of the Cobb Street Commandos, but there will be more to follow.
Damian Harvey
Velda the Awesomest Viking and the Wild Unicorn Chase
David MacPhail, illus. Richard Morgan, pub. Kelpies
Velda is a fearsome Viking who has zero patience for anyone who thinks girls can’t go raiding and be proper Vikings. Determined to prove her worth, she’s always hunting down the most dangerous quests imaginable. When she hears a terrifying troll is terrorizing the kingdom of Frisia, Velda jumps at the chance to take it down!
Taking on a troll isn’t as simple as she thinks, however — especially when the beast in question snatches her trusty axe. With her weapon gone, Velda is left with only one desperate option: hunt down a mythical unicorn horn to craft a sleep potion so that she can be rid of the troll once and for all!
David MacPhail has blended adventure with comedy in this story and does so mainly through the group of characters that he has written. Joining Velda on this wild quest is the bizarre crew of The Mangy Mutt. Each member brings their own unique talents to the table—though some are definitely more useful than others! With Mandrake singing all kinds of out-of-tune songs at the most inconvenient of times and Lord Egbert using his confused translation book to hold broken conversations with others in all kinds of blended language, it is a wonder how this group have ever been able to solve any sort of problem that they face. The illustrations by Richard Morgan really bring the pages to life and will help young readers enjoy the story.
Velda and the Wild Unicorn Chase is a fun story for children to enjoy. It’s a perfect pick for young readers who love hilarious adventure, or any children studying Vikings in school who want an amusing, action-packed story to bring the historical period to life!
Tom Joy
