Imagine that you were told that you woke up on a mysterious island, a place that few people know even exists, and told that you have six months to live. You’re told that you have a special gene that gives you amazing powers, but the only way to keep those powers under control and keep you alive is to retrieve seven lost magical orbs. These orbs have been hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and it’s up to you and your new friends to retrieve them before it’s too late. This is the task that is given to Jack McKinley in Peter Lerangis’ new series, Seven Wonders. The first book in the Seven Wonders series, The Colossus Rises is out now.
The day after twelve-year-old Jack McKinley is told he has six months to live, he awakens on a mysterious island, where a secret organization promises to save his life – but with one condition. With his three friends, Jack must lead a mission to retrieve seven lost magical orbs, which, only when combined together, can save their lives. The challenge: the orbs have been missing for a thousand years, lost among the ruins and relics of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. With no one else to turn to and no escape in sight, the four friends have no choice but to undertake the quest. First stop: The Colossus of Rhodes … where they realise that there’s way more at stake than just their lives.
The Colossus Rises is an action-packed blockbuster of a book. From the first sentence you’re hooked into the story and, like Jack, you’re whisked from your normal, everyday life into a strange new world. You’re taken to a place of legend, home to mysterious creatures, and where a group of kids have amazing powers. The mystery of the unique gene that Jack and his friends have and the magical orbs draws you in and you keep reading hoping to find the answers. Peter Lerangis is very good at only revealing little details throughout the story to leave you hanging and we’ll find out more as the series progresses. There is definitely more to the island and their quest that Professor Bhegad isn’t revealing to Jack and his friends (if you read the free ebook prequel, The Select, you’ll see what I mean).
Peter really keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is danger around every corner so you never know what to expect next. I wasn’t even sure that Jack and his friends were all going to make it to the end of the story alive, as they have some very close shaves. The second half of the book is especially exciting and fast-paced and had me engrossed in the story.
Like the Percy Jackson books The Colossus Rises is a mixture of adventure and fantasy. Jack and his friends have powers that help them in in their quest to find the orbs and the island is home to mysterious and mythical creatures. They have to fight for their lives with these creatures, both on the island and on the other side of the world, in plain view of normal humans.
It’s the school holidays and Zac thinks he might go crazy with boredom. He’s living in exile with his disgraced father on the remote Terawhiti Station on Wellington’s wild southwest coast. Then Zac and his dad witness a boat sink during a storm. Investigating further, Zac finds a set of unusual animal prints on the beach. Whose boat is it? And what creature could have made the prints? Soon armed men are prowling the coast, and threatening Zac, his friends and his family. He must do all he can to protect the Phantom of Terawhiti from those intent on hunting it down.
Phantom of Terawhiti is an action-packed adventure story, packed with mystery, armed and angry Russians, brainless hunters, wild weather, a car chase, and a race against time. Des Hunt is a gifted storyteller who never fails to write a story that grips readers and makes you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. In Phantom of Terawhiti there are plenty of heart-stopping moments, especially when Zac and Jess clash with the Russians. The mystery of the ‘Phantom of Terawhiti’ draws you in and, even when the creature is revealed, you wonder how it will survive in the wild with the hunters trying to track it down.
Like the main characters in his other books, Zac and Jess are just normal Kiwi kids, who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (or maybe the right place at the right time). Zac gets dragged by his dad to come and live on the remote Terawhiti Station, and it’s while he’s here that he discovers the wreck of the yacht and the paw prints in the sand. When they discover the Phantom of Terawhiti, Zac and Jess know that they must do everything they can to protect it.
Phantom of Terawhiti is one of Des Hunt’s best books so far and I can’t wait to see where in the country he will take us to next.
Emily Vole makes headline news in the first weeks of her life, when she is found in an abandoned hatbox in Stansted Airport. Then, only a few years later, her neighbour Mrs String dies leaving Emily a mysterious inheritance: an old shop, a small bunch of golden keys and a cat called Fidget. It’s the beginning of an adventure of a lifetime as the old Fairy Detective Agency comes back to life. It is up to Emily to reopen the shop, and recall the fairies to duty. Together they must embark on their first mystery and do battle with their great fairy-snatching enemy, Harpella.
Operation Bunny is a magical story, filled with a cast of wonderful characters, plenty of mystery, and a sprinkling of humour. It’s the sort of book that you sit down to read a few chapters and end up gobbling up the whole book because you’re enchanted by Sally Gardner’s storytelling and David Roberts’ hilarious illustrations.
I fell in love with the characters straight away and I wanted to be friends with Miss String and Fidget the talking cat. Emily is a Cinderella-type character because she gets locked away and made to do all the housework for her horrible adopted parents. Not only are they horrible, they’re also quite stupid. Emily’s adopted mother lets a strange lady into their house who turns her triplets into zombies, and Emily’s adopted father is a slimy wee man who’s hiding a secret and always calls his wife ‘Smoochikins.’ However, Emily is much smarter and braver than these horrible people give her credit for, and with the help of her rather unusual neighbours she escapes and starts her new life as a detective. Fidget is my favourite character because he is always happy to help and he has the best lines (which usually involve fish of some sort), like ‘Search my sardine tin, I don’t know,’ and ‘Twiddle my whiskers and call me tuna.’ I love the way that Fidget calls Emily ‘my little ducks’ too. Even though she doesn’t have parents that love her, she has a giant talking cat that is looking out for her always. There are lots of other interesting characters in the story, including a mischievous bunch of keys, zombie babies, a fairy policeman, a shop with legs, a magic lamp that talks, and lots and lots of bunnies.
David Roberts illustrations are wonderful as always and help set the tone of the story. They’re both hilarious and a little dark, and they bring Sally’s characters alive. I especially like the personalities that David has given each of the rabbits and the suave, charming look that he’s given Fidget.
I’m so pleased that we have more adventures with Emily, Fidget and the Fairy Detective Agency, Wings & Co.to look forward to. I can’t wait to read the next book, The Three Pickled Herrings.
Before you consider reading “Who Could That Be at This Hour?” ask yourself these questions:
Are you curious about what is happening in a seaside town that is no longer by the sea?
Do you want to know about a stolen item that wasn’t stolen at all?
Do you really think that’s any of your business? Why? What kind of a person are you? Really?
Who is standing behind you?
Who Could That Be at This Hour? is uncanny, peculiar and outlandish, all words which here mean ‘quite strange.’ It’s the first book in Lemony Snicket’s new series, in which he gives an account of his apprenticeship in a secret organisation, ‘in a town overshadowed by a sinister conspiracy, culminating in some unnerving and troublesome truths that lay buried for a number of years, while people were busy doing somthing else.’ The story is addictive and once you start, it’s very hard to put down. It’s set in a strange little town, containing ‘a sea without water and a forest without trees,’ and it’s full of bizarre events and curious characters.
Nobody in this story is quite who they first appear to be. There is Lemony’s chaperone, S. Theodora Markson (don’t ask what the S stands for) who is not as competent or highly skilled as she portrays, the mysterious, coffee-drinking Ellington Feint, the shadowy Hangfire, and even Lemony Snicket himself. I love the way that Lemony Snicket describes some of the weird people he meets, like Stew,
He looked like the child of a man and a log, with a big, thick neck and hair that looked like a bowl turned upside down. He had a slingshot tucked into his pocket and a nasty look tucked into his eyes.
My favourite characters in the story are Pip and Squeak, the two brothers who drive the Bellerophon Taxi. They are supposedly filling in for their father, but they’re so short that one steers while the other sits on the floor and pushes the pedals.
If you love mystery and adventure stories, but also want a bit of a laugh, Who Could Be at This Hour? is the perfect book for you. Grab your copy now from your library or bookshop.
Michael doesn’t remember his father, who died in a Spitfire over the English Channel. And his mother, heartbroken and passionate, doesn’t like to talk about him. But then Michael’s aunt gives him a medal and a photograph, which begin to reveal a hidden story.
A story of love, loss and secrets.
A story that will change everything – and reveal to Michael who he really is…
A Medal for Leroy is a story of war, love and family secrets. Like many of Michael’s other stories, it’s told from the point of view of someone who is old (in this case Michael) looking back at his life and telling the reader the story of what happened. I really like this style of storytelling because it makes you feel like you are just sitting down for a cup of tea with the main character while they tell you the story. Michael tells us that he never knew his father because he died during the war, but his mother and his aunties love him very much. When one of his aunties dies, she leaves a special package for Michael, full of family secrets. In this package, Michael learns about his auntie’s life and about the father he never knew. Her story is heart-breaking, but with moments of happiness and hope.
Once again, Michael Morpurgo has written an emotional story that you get caught up in. Even though the war is happening, you hope that everything is going to be fine, that Martha will meet Leroy again, and her father will welcome her home. As always, Michael presents the realities of war to portray what life was like during this horrible time. Even though Michael has returned to a topic that he has written about many times before, A Medal for Leroy,is a different story and just as wonderful as his other war stories, like Private Peaceful, War Horse, and An Elephant in the Garden. You can read more about the person who inspired this story, Walter Tull, at the back of the book too.
Kingdom of the Wicked is the latest installment in the very popular Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy. I had been very eager to read the seventh book, and so as soon as I got my hands on my new copy, I sat down and began to read feverishly.
From the very first page it is obvious that this book is going to be even better than the previous one. Skulduggery and Valkyrie have got their hands full, as numerous mortals across the city are suddenly gaining magical powers, and are dreaming of a man named Argeddion. They start to investigate, and so begins a new adventure, full of hideouts, evil teenage sorcerers, and lots of fighting.
Valkyrie is still struggling to keep control of her evil half, Darquesse, and her reflection is becoming more life-like by the day. When Valkyrie is given a temporary power (or perhaps curse), the trouble- and adventure- increases. The plot thickens and twists as the book progresses, more challenges being thrown at Skulduggery and Valkyrie as they strive to defeat the evil Kitana and her friends, Doran, and Sean.
Kingdom of the Wicked introduces you to many new characters and takes you to various new locations, such as the magical gaol (fit with the ultimate security system), the Alps (home to not-so-friendly Abominable Snowmen) and a couple of different dimensions (really). It is packed with the humour, adventure, and originality that made us all fall in love with the Skulduggery Pleasant series in the first place.
I was intrigued by Mr. Landy’s development of the magical world, overjoyed to have new characters to love or hate, and ecstatic to be reunited with my favourite characters. As usual, Mr. Landy’s wit and humour had me rolling on the ground laughing. One of my favourite “funny characters”, Desmond Edgely (Valkyrie’s dad), continues to amuse readers with his antics (although I don’t think Valkyrie finds them as amusing):
“’The great hunter-gatherer has returned victorious,” he announced. “I bring the womenfolk newspapers, fresh milk and bread. The newspapers led me on a merry chase, but the bread and fresh milk didn’t stand a chance.’
‘Well done, dear,’ Valkyrie’s mum said.
Her dad sat. ‘And I’ve also found Stephanie a new boyfriend.’
Valkyrie choked on her cereal and her mum looked up sharply.
‘You’ve done what?’”
Vaurien Scapegrace returns, providing even more laughs. If you haven’t read the series, Scapegrace is (at this point in the series) the head of a zombie, who was once a murderer wannabe. I’m sure you can already tell that Scapegrace, like so many of the characters, is a very unique person, who adds even more flavour to the addictive taste of the book.
All of this is just a hint of the experiences promised, should you choose to read the latest Skulduggery Pleasant adventure. I will warn you though; once you begin reading, you will never want to stop!
The Flytrap Snaps is the first book in The Fly Papers series by Johanna Knox. It is an quirky yet cool tale. I even found the dedication page unique:
“Dedicated to all the carnivorous plants that sit on our window sills and inspire us (you know who you are).”
Spencer Fogle is the hero of this story: he lives in the town of Filmington, which is famous for its variety of landscapes. For this reason it is used by producers all over the world to film movies, ads and videos. Spencer is used to hearing screams on his way to school. One day, Spencer hears a scream, and something tells him that this is not special effects in a horror film. He goes to investigate…and so begins a mysterious adventure, involving carnivorous plants, hench-women, wrestling and shampoo ads.
Dion is Spencer’s friend, and meets Spencer during the story. Dion is very theatrical, and dreams of becoming a movie star. He also happens to be a Venus Flytrap with four eyes. Yes…I think that Dion Horrible (his stage name) is definitely the most original element of the book!
I think that Johanna Knox has done a wonderful job of fleshing out the characters. I imagined each one very vividly…from Tora, a wrestling expert with amazing hair, to Spencer’s parents, who own a business that sells stuffed food, such as sardine-stuffed lemons. I also admire the way she writes in such a consistently humorous and strong way. There wasn’t a dull moment in the book, nor a moment when I wasn’t smiling at Dion’s antics.
The mystery gets darker as the book progresses. You will find yourself rooting for Spencer and Dion, hating Jimmy Jangle and his salami-breath sidekicks, Sybil and Cassandra, and turning the pages faster and faster as the pace of the adventure quickens. Will Jimmy Jangle find Dion? What is Tora’s secret? Will Dion get his change at fame? You will find the answers to these questions- and more- by reading The Flytrap Snaps.
What do you get when you mix Tintin, James Bond, and The Famous Five together? You get Richard Newsome’s Billionaire Series. So far in the series we’ve followed Gerald, Ruby and Sam to England, France, Greece and India, trying to stay one step ahead of the notorious Mason Green. In their latest action-packed adventure, The Crystal Code, we join our favourite characters as they make new friends and enemies.
Gerald, Ruby and Sam are meeting up with Alisha and Gerald’s Australian school friend Ox for two weeks of snowboarding in the mountains of California. It’s a dream vacation.
But soon after they arrive—by helicopter, with Gerald’s butler Mr Fry at the controls, of course—the private chalet is attacked. Gerald and the gang escape through a secret passage, only to be pursued on snowmobiles by men with guns across frozen lakes and into the path of a cascading avalanche.
Could this be the work of Gerald’s nemesis Sir Mason Green, recently escaped from prison? Or is someone else behind the attack?Does the old dry cleaning ticket Gerald found amongst Green’s belongings hold the key?And how does an invitation to join the secretive Billionaire’s Club land Gerald in so much trouble?
The Crystal Code is Richard Newsome at his best! It’s chock-full of everything I love about the Billionaire Series – chases, fights, close calls, awkward situations, sarcastic remarks, laugh out loud moments and memorable characters. From the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, to Prague, and a tiny island in Sweden, Richard Newsome takes us on a wild ride where the action never lets up. As the characters grow up, their relationships change, so things become a bit awkward between Gerald and Ruby (especially when another girl, Felicity, gets thrown into the mixture). I really liked the dynamics between the characters, and by introducing new characters into the original trio, Richard has refreshed the series and made it even more exciting.
Richard also introduces us to some new villains. At the center of the story is a centuries old manuscript that nobody has been able to decipher, and there are two characters that are desperate to get their hands on it. Tycho Brahe, the mysterious man with the silver nose, is a fantastically sinister character who will stop at nothing to carry out his plans. There is a lot of mystery surrounding him and Gerald and his friends don’t believe that he can be the man he says that he is. Then there is Ursus, the man with many names, a shadowy character whose motives are unknown. They’re both really intriguing characters and I have a feeling we’ll meet them again.
The Crystal Code, and the rest of the Billionaire series, are a must read for anyone who loves action, adventure and mystery stories. Grab it from your library now and dive into the adventures of billionaire boy, Gerald, and his friends.
5 out of 5 stars
Richard Newsome is joining us as our October Star Author. Make sure you check out his posts and watch out for your chance to win a copy of The Crystal Code in this week’s Free Book Friday.
How would you act if part of your personality was stolen with a brain-sucking machine?
Lester Smythe has a black heart. He s invented a dangerous brain-sucking machine that removes the goodness from its victims, and he intends to use it to rid the world of all human kindness. But Lester didn t count on thirteen-year-old Callum McCullock and his two best friends, Sophie and Jinx. The trio vow to destroy the brain sucker. And nothing will stop them.
The Brain Sucker is one of the coolest books I’ve read in ages! The idea is original, the story is action-packed, the heroes are unlike any you’ve met before and the villain is sinister. From the very first page, when the villain slinks onto the page, I knew I was going to love the story, and I greedily turned the pages wanting to know how it would end.
Lester Smythe is a sinister villain, but there’s also something awkward about him. He reminded me of a cross between Gru (from Despicable Me) and Professor Doofenshmirtz (from Phineas and Ferb) and I almost expected him to announce that his brain sucking machine was the ‘Brain-suckinator.’ Lester’s plan is to rid the world of goodness because anyone acting good makes him physically sick, due to a horrible experience when he was younger. The machine that will help him with his task is the Brain Sucker, which sucks the goodness right out of people’s heads. It’s up to the heroes of the story to save the day (and the world from becoming a miserable place).
The heroes of the story, Callum, Sophie and Jinx are unlike any heroes I’ve met before. They all have flaws but they manage to overcome these to help save the day. Callum is paralysed from the waist down so he’s wheelchair bound, but he’s really determined and doesn’t let his disability get in his way. He’s also got one of the coolest wheelchairs around! Sophie is Callum’s best friend and she’s incredibly talented and intelligent. She has a mechanical mind, so she can make improvements to her toys or invent new gadgets to help her friend. Her only problem is that she gets claustrophobic. Jinx is the funniest character in the book, because he has really bad luck. He’s always in the wrong place at the wrong time, whether it’s a gas main exploding under his school desk or bird dive-bombing him. You always know something bad is going to happen when he’s around, especially when his thumb starts to dance.
If you’re after a fun story, full of adventure, mystery, magic, exciting gadgets, and great characters, The Brain Sucker is the book for you. I’d recommend it for 9+ and it would be a great read-aloud for Year 5-8.
Imagine if you could live in a hotel. Not just any hotel, but one where each of the rooms had a different theme. If you like cuddly toys, you could live in a room full of cuddly toys of every size, colour and type. If you like Playstation, you could live in a virtual reality room where you could be a character in any game you chose. In Patrick Carman’s new book, Floors, Leo lives in the weirdest, most wonderful hotel in the whole world, the Whippet Hotel.
Leo Fillmore and his father Clarence live and work at the Whippet Hotel as the caretakers, making sure everything is in working order. The hotel’s eccentric owner, Merganzer D. Whippet disappeared one hundred days ago and hasn’t been seen or heard from ever since. This leaves the mean hotel manager, Ms. Sparks in charge of the hotel, and when the hotel doesn’t work as it should, everybody hears about it. Leo spends his days helping his father maintain the hotel and making sure Betty and the other ducks get walked. One day, as Leo is returning the ducks to their pond on the roof, he discovers a mysterious box in the duck elevator. This box is the first of four that will lead Leo to discover the secrets of the Whippet Hotel and the mystery of the missing Merganzer D. Whippet.
Floors is full of wonder, mystery and mahem, and made me smile the whole way through. Patrick Carman has created this weird and wonderful hotel and filled it with one exciting room after another. There’s a Pinball Room, which is set up like a pinball machine, with bowling balls as the pinball and couches for the flippers; the Cake Room filled with real cakes that are delivered by the chefs each morning; and the Central Park Room which contains a scale model of New York’s Central Park. The characters are just as weird and wonderful as the hotel. There’s Captain Rickenbacker who thinks that his arch-nemesis is out to get him, the obsessive writer, Theodore Bump, and the nasty hotel manager Ms. Sparks. Floors is one of the most fun, imaginative stories you’ll read this year. It’s perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snickett.
One of my favourite series is the Billionaire Trilogy by Richard Newsome. They follow the adventures of Gerald, Sam and Ruby as they uncover the truth about Gerald’s family. You can read all about the three books in the trilogy, The Billionaire’s Curse, The Emerald Casket and The Mask of Destiny here on the blog. Richard Newsome is coming to Christchurch this Friday (25th November) and you can meet him and get his books signed.
Richard Newsome will be at The Children’s Bookshop, 227 Blenheim Square at 4pm on Friday 25th November.
For those of you who can’t be there we’ll be giving away a signed set of the three books in the Billionaire Trilogy next week right here on the blog.
Today we’re joined by Lara Morgan, author of The Rosie Black Chronicles, which includes Genesis and the latest book, Equinox. We caught up with Lara to ask her about Rosie Black, future technology and the best things about being a writer.
What five words would you use to describe The Rosie Black Chronicles?
Dystopian thriller with romantic elements
What idea/s did the Rosie Black Chronicles grow from?
Essentially from my interest in climate change and how it will affect us in the future, and what I see as a growth in the power and influence of massive corporations within our political and social structure. I wanted to explore what kind of future could arise if we didn’t regulate the way we are going now and the world of Rosie Black is the result of that. I’m also interested in space travel and the possibility of outer planet colonisation so I threw that in the mix as well.
Who is the character of Rosie Black based on?
No one in particular. Rosie has elements of my teenage self in her, but she is also a creation of the world she’s come from – the future Earth. I’m very much interested in the psychology of people, how they become who they are so the type of person Rosie is comes from the experiences she’s had as she’s grown ie losing her mother, being poor in a broken world, as well as just her innate self. I believe in strong rounded characters so I tried to create that in Rosie.
If you could have one piece of technology from Rosie’s world, what would it be?
Space ships – her Aunt Essie’s little ship would be a very cool thing to have. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of travelling through space.
Who is your favourite author/childrens author?
That is a very hard one to answer, but one of my favourites is Ursula Le Guin, especially her Earthsea stories.
Why did you want to be a writer?
It’s what gives me the most satisfaction. I’ve always been a daydreamer and writing is just a way of getting those dreams out of my head and onto the page. I just love making up stories and never feel as at peace as when I can get up from my desk at the end of the day and feel I’ve achieved something.
What’s the best thing and worst thing about being a writer?
Best is definitely being my own boss and being able to work from home in my pyjamas. The worst is the need to promote yourself. These days being writer means having to be good at self promotion as well as promoting your work, building a known name, and that means talking yourself up at events and gatherings and that doesn’t come naturally to me, or I think most writers.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Make sure you finish what you start. I’ve spoken to many aspiring writers who focus too much on fine tuning a first chapter, or first few chapters, before they’ve finished writing the story all the way through to the end and that is a fine way to ensure you never finish anything. And you can’t get unfinished work published. It is hard and the temptation is to think that if you just get the first bit right then the rest will be easier, you’ll have a better idea, but really that only works for a minute amount of people. Usually the best way to get the story right is to write it all the way through to the end, not worrying too much about how some things might not quite make sense, or some metaphors are terrible, or your dialogue sucks, but going forward anyway until you finish it. Then you go back and start to refine it. You have to allow yourself the room to make mistakes in the first draft safe in the knowledge that only you will see it. And I mean no one else, really, don’t show it to anyone, not even your mum. That’s what works for me anyway – and for many, many other writers. And read everything. Writers read, it’s essential.
If you’ve read the Clarice Bean books by Lauren Child, you’ll know that Ruby Redfort is Clarice Bean’s favourite book character. She’s a super brainy genius with terrible eyesight and loves to wear t-shirts with slogans like ‘What a total yawn’ and ‘Bored beyond belief.’ In Look Into My Eyes, we find out how Ruby got started as a secret agent.
Ruby Redfort lives her life by a set of rules, like Rule 1: You can never be completely sure what might happen next, or Rule 7: Never forget the little things – it’s the little things that will lead people to notice the big things. When a mysterious stranger calls Ruby and sets her a challenge, her rules help her to solve the puzzle. It’s not long before she finds her way into the HQ of the most secret of secret agencies – SPECTRUM. After sitting SPECTRUM’s Agency Test, Ruby is put to work solving a code that one their agents failed to solve before she died in an avalanche. The closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in. Ruby has grabbed the attention of some of the world’s most evil villains and crooks, but will SPECTRUM be able to save her before it’s too late.
Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes has got me hooked on Ruby Redfort and her adventures. Ruby Redfort is a very cool character and the sort of girl that everyone would like. She’s smart, fearless, funny and isn’t afraid to stand out from the crowd. She has quite an old-fashioned way of talking (she calls people buster and bozo), but that’s something I really like about her character and it makes her stand out. The way that Ruby answers the phone made me crack up every time. Ruby’s butler (or household manager as he like to be called), Hitch is one of the coolest butlers ever! He’s very mysterious when you first meet him, but he’s always there when the Redforts need him. Apart from Hitch, alot of the adults in the book are boring, stupid and just interested in themselves and their parties. I was wondering how a girl as smart and full of personality as Ruby had such dull parents.
If you love books full of mystery, with kids who are secret agents, and evil villains who want to commit the crime of the century, then Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes is the book for you. As Clarice Bean says, ‘you will literally be on the edge of your wits.’ Recommended for 9+ 10 out of 10
Two years ago we were introduced to Gerald Wilkins, the boy who inherited 20 billion pounds from his aunt Geraldine. In The Billionaire’s Curse Gerald found out that his aunt Geraldine had been murdered and that she wanted Gerald to track down her killer. In the second book, The Emerald Casket, Gerald and his friends, Ruby and Sam traveled to India on holiday, only to get mixed up with a mysterious and deadly cult. The final book in the trilogy, The Mask of Destiny brings Gerald’s story to a thrilling conclusion.
Gerald’s foe, Sir Mason Green has been arrested and Gerald has to act as a witness in the trial. Disaster strikes at the trial when Mason Green collapses and is pronounced dead. Gerald thinks this is the end of their problems and he can finally enjoy his billions, but the police come calling and want to arrest Gerald for the murder of Mason Green. With Mr Fry’s help, Gerald goes on the run with his ever faithful friends, Ruby and Sam. They head to the island of Mont-Saint-Michel in France hoping to uncover the truth of Gerald’s ancestors and clear Gerald’s name along the way. Their search takes them from France to Italy and Greece, to the heart of an ancient city that has been buried for centuries.
The Mask of Destiny is the perfect finale to this amazing series from Richard Newsome. The story speeds along like a train out of control and just when you think you know what’s going to happen there’s a twist. Gerald, Sam and Ruby are incredibly brave and courageous and I was amazed at how they found their way around Europe by themselves. My favourite thing about the series are the characters Richard Newsome has created. The clumsy, pigeon-loving Constable Lethbridge makes me laugh every time and my favourite from this book would have to be Walter, the life coach that Gerald’s mother hires. He’s creepily nice and Gerald knows there’s something not quite right about him. If you’ve read the other books in the trilogy you’ll love The Mask of Destiny. If you haven’t discovered this fantastic series full of mystery, action, adventure, family secrets and sinister villains, go straight to your library or bookshop and get reading them now.
If you’ve read the Clarice Bean books by Lauren Child you’ll know who Ruby Redfort is. If you haven’t, she’s Clarice Bean’s favourite book character and is an undercover agent and mystery solver. Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes is the first book in the new series and it looks great.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is one of my favourite books because of the way that the story is told. The ‘creator’ Brian Selznick uses a mixture of words and illustrations to tell the story. One minute you’re reading the words and the next you’re looking at the amazing illustrations to try and piece the story together. Brian has used the same storytelling technique in his new book, Wonderstruck.
Wonderstruck is the story of two children, set fifty years apart. Ben’s story is told using words and is set in 1977 and Rose’s story is told completely in pictures and is set in 1927. Ben has never known his father, but when he discovers some clues in his mother’s bedroom to who his father is, Ben sets out on a journey to discover the truth. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook and Brian’s illustrations reveal her own journey.
Wonderstruck is an absolutely amazing book! I love the idea of telling two different stories in two different ways. When I was reading Ben’s story I could see the images in my head, but when I was ’reading’ Rose’s story I was putting each of the images together to figure out her story. The book looks huge but I read it all in one go because over half the book is made up of Brian’s stunning illustrations. He only uses pencils, but he creates some unbelievable effects. When you look at the faces of the characters you can see exactly what they are feeling, whether it is excitement, anger or sadness. One of the pages is just someone pointing their finger and you know exactly what it means. Reading Rose’s story is like watching a silent movie because you have to work out what is happening yourself. Wonderstruck is one of those books that leave you smiling and you’ll want to read it again and again, just to enjoy Brian’s illustrations.
Spencer Fogle is an ordinary kid who lives in the extraordinary town of Filmington. His hometown used to be called Flemington, until film and TV crews discovered its range of landscapes, from fiery volcanoes to snowy mountains and lush rainforests, and took over the town. The town’s richest resident, Jimmy Jangle, controls most of the business within Filmington and holds alot of people’s futures in his hands. When Spencer is walking home from school one day, he hears blood-curdling screams coming from one of the science labs and goes to investigate. Spencer uncovers a dark plot involving carnivorous plants, genetically modified flies and a mysterious, hidden file. However, Jimmy Jangle and his thugs are willing to do anything to keep the truth covered up.
The Flytrap Snaps is the first book in The Fly Papers series, by New Zealand author Johanna Knox and illustrator, Sabrina Malcolm. It’s a quirky story with action, mystery and plenty of laughs. I love the idea of Filmington, with it’s different companies set up for the movie and television industry. There’s the science labs that create experiments to be used in films, catering companies to supply food and drink for the film and TV crews, and the BodySlam Stunt Wrestling Club where they train stunt people for the movies. I really liked Spencer because he’s just an ordinary kid who has to deal with an extraordinary situation. I can’t wait to read the second book to find out what Spencer, Dion and Tora get up to next, and to solve the mystery of The Fly Papers.
Contact jumps straight back into the story of Jordan, Luke and Peter, three of the inhabitants (or prisoners) of the town of Phoenix. It starts off right where the first book, Arrival ended with Luke, Peter and Jordan hearing the ring of a phone and running off to find out who the phone belongs to. You learn in the first book that the phones and internet don’t work in Phoenix so it’s strange to hear a phone ringing. This mysterious phone sets off a string of events that Luke, Peter and Jordan get caught up in. The people who are in charge of Phoenix discover that the three of them are snooping around, so their principal gives them tasks to keep them busy. This doesn’t stop them investigating the plans of the Shackleton Cooperative to bring about the end of the world, and as they uncover more secrets they find themselves fighting to save themselves and the ones they love.
Contact is fast-paced and so suspenseful that I found I was racing to finish the book. Luke, Peter and Jordan get themselves into some really tight situations in this book and you wonder if they are going to get out of them alive. The part when they are in Ketterley’s office really had me on the edge of my seat, hoping that they didn’t get caught. One of the things I liked best about Contact is that Chris Morphew told the story from a different character’s perspective. We see things from Peter’s point of view, which is quite different from Luke’s in the first book. Hopefully the third book, Mutation will be told from Jordan’s perspective. I’m going to get started on Mutation straight away because I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
I write scary adventure books featuring Japanese demons (called yokai), and right now I’m researching quirky Japanese superstitions.
A great place to find superstition is in proverbs. Here are a few you may recognise:
- Step on a crack, marry a rat
- An apple a day keeps the doctor away
- Cross my heart and hope to die
- Don’t judge a book by its cover
- Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight
1) If you give a boy’s name to a girl, or a girl’s name to a boy, they will grow up healthy and strong
You may wonder why your parents gave you such a weird name. Well, maybe this is the reason? Switching boys’ and girls’ names is a way to confuse (and hopefully avoid) the demons who bring disease and bad luck.
Do you want to look like this?
2) If you scowl at your parents, you will turn into a sole.
You know the old saying “If you make a face, the wind will change and you’ll be stuck that way”? Well, this is the Japanese equivalent. Basically, it’s a warning to be nice to your mum and dad. Because if you don’t, you’ll turn into a flat fish with both eyes on one side of your face. (Don’t worry: you will still taste good served with chips!)
3) When a weasel cuts across your path, he will bewitch you if you don’t throw a stone at him.
In Japanese culture, animals like weasels, foxes and badgers are known to have magical powers over humans, including the ability to shape-change, and they love to trick you out of your money. Throwing a stone is a quick, easy way to make sure you stay safe.
4) If you put spit in your eyebrows, the fox will not bewitch you.
Here’s another simple way to stay safe from demon foxes: simply spit into your own eyebrows and mix well. (This belief comes from the idea that saliva is powerful and can help your eyes to see the truth behind magical spells)
5) If you kill a cat, it will haunt you and your family for seven generations.
Yikes! Better be nice to your cat! In Japan, cats who grow very fat and very old are also thought to turn into giant, man-eating cat demons. So your only hope for survival is to own a dog instead.
6) If your sandal strap breaks, evil is heading your way
This is a great reason to check your shoes and shoelaces before you head out on a dangerous mission. (If you’ve read The Filth Licker, you now know the secret double meaning behind Cait’s broken shoelace…)
7) If you pick up a comb, you will pick up suffering.
This superstition comes about because the Japanese word for comb is “kushi”, which is made up of two sounds: “ku” (the Japanese word for “suffering”), and “shi” (the Japanese word for “death”). So, instead of bending straight down to pick up your dropped comb, it’s better to stand on it first. Standing on the dropped comb drives out any evil spirits that are in it, making it safe to pick up. Phew!
8 ) A person who uses red things will only suffer a light case of smallpox
Carry this lovely RED book at all times, if you want to stay safe!
This proverb was around before the smallpox disease was eradicated thanks to vaccination, but it shows clearly that red was a colour of protection in Japan. Why red? It’s the colour of flushed, healthy cheeks. It’s the colour of warmth and cheerfulness. And it’s also the colour that many sick people wore in old Japan, to protect themselves from disease. (Red is also the colour of the first Takeshita Demons book…no coincidence there! Miku needs all the help she can get!)
What do you think? Do you know any spooky or strange proverbs or superstitions? Would you walk under a ladder?
Go out on Friday 13? What would you do with a 4-leaf clover? Do you believe in superstitions?
What would you do if you found out there were only 100 days until the end of the world?
When Luke and his mum move to the town of Phoenix, out in the middle of nowhere, Luke knows straight away that something isn’t quite right about the place. There are no cars, no phones and no internet. All the houses look the same and the only way to get around the town is to walk or bike. The town was especially built by the Shackleton Cooperative, the mysterious company that offered Luke’s mum a job, and their security officers roam the streets. A coded message brings Luke together with Peter and Jordan, and when they decipher the message they realise they’re in serious danger. Someone is plotting to wipe out the human race in 100 days and Phoenix suddenly becomes the safest and most dangerous place on earth. When Luke discovers a note in his backpack inviting them to a secret meeting at the Phoenix Airport, they hope that they’ll get some answers. However, their meeting at the airport gives them more questions than answers and as they hunt for information about Phoenix and the deadly plans, the more dangerous it becomes for them in the town.
Arrival is the first book in the action-packed, heart-stopping Phoenix Files series. It’s one of those books that you just have to keep reading to find out what happens. It grabs you from the very first page and doesn’t let you go until the end. You’re left with lots of unanswered questions about Phoenix and the Shackleton Cooperative, but this just makes you want to go and pick up the next book straight away. Luckily there are 4 books already released (and in the library) of this 6 book series so I can read them all before Fallout gets released next year. The Phoenix Files are perfect for those who like mystery, adventure and suspense, or books about secret agencies and the end of the world. If you like Michael Grant’s Gone series, then you’ll love The Phoenix Files. Recommended for 12+ 10 out of 10
The day after twelve-year-old Jack McKinley is told he has six months to live, he awakens on a mysterious island, where a secret organization promises to save his life – but with one condition. With his three friends, Jack must lead a mission to retrieve seven lost magical orbs, which, only when combined together, can save their lives. The challenge: the orbs have been missing for a thousand years, lost among the ruins and relics of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. With no one else to turn to and no escape in sight, the four friends have no choice but to undertake the quest. First stop: The Colossus of Rhodes … where they realise that there’s way more at stake than just their lives.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
