Your Reviews - August 2010
Read reviews of:
The Lighthouse Keepers Tea Rhonda and David Armitage
Review by Emily Parker, Age 7, Greenhithe School
Storyline: Mr and Mrs Grining live on a high cliff. Mr Grining is bored, so Mrs Grining mentions to bake something, but it didn’t work. So he tried bird-watching, that didn’t work either. He tried violin, that didn’t work. Next it was surfing – it did work. Then they had lunch at the lighthouse.
What I liked best: When he found something to do and it didn’t work.
What I didn’t like: I liked it all. I didn’t not like it.
Favourite character and why: Mr Grining because he is the main character and funny.
Black Beauty Lisa Church (retold from the Anna Sewell orginal)
Review by Samantha Jackson, Age 6, Paeroa Christian School
Black Beauty is a horse that has lived his whole life on a farm. Now that is about to change. His owner sells him and then Black Beauty gets sold over and over again.
Sometimes he is terribly mistreated, other times he is well treated by good owners.
This is an exciting story and if you love horses, you’ll love this book. It is a very interesting story. Some parts I really enjoyed while other parts brought tears to my eyes.
I like the book very much.
Scientists and Their Mind-blowing Experiments Dr Mike Goldsmith
Review by Emma Tidswell, Age 8, St Cuthberts College
Plot: Sam is a scientist who is trying to find olden day people. He has a list of people he thinks that are olden day people, Aristotle, Anaximenes, Thales and Empdocles. Will Sam find the olden day people before the scientist fair?
Characters: Aristotle knows nearly everything. He is funny and very brainy. Thales is a wanting person because he wants nearly everything. I love them in this story. They made me feel funny and i didnt want to put it down.
Opinion: I learnt that scientist doesnt always get things right. It is funny because Aristotle thinks that Earth is made out of water.
Recommend: I recommend this book for 6-10 year olds. You will not want to put the book down.
Alice in Wonderland Tim Burton (film novelisation)
Review by Caitlin Wightman, Age 7, Greenhithe School
Storyline: Just beyond the world there is girl, her name is Alice. She falls in a rabbit and hole and ends up in a different place. Now she has to find her way back
What i liked best: I liked the bit where the rabbit said i am late.
What i didnt like: I liked it all.
Favourite character and why: Alice because she was unique and she is nice.
Tumtum and Nutmeg Emily Bearn
Review by Eliza Hay, Age 9, St Cuthberts College
Plot: Tumtum and Nutmeg live at Rose Cottage. Some people live outside their house. There are two kids and a dad. One day they invited their evil auntie over.
Characters: Tumtum is a mouse that has a big tummy and likes reading. Nutmeg is his wife and likes to cook. They are both kind hearted.
Opinion: My favourite part was when the army overcome her. The scary part was when Tumtum was sick. I learnt when things might happen or not, just believe and it might come true. I would recommend this book because they have suprises just waiting for you.
Recommend: I would recommend this book because they have suprises just waiting for you. 8+ is the recommended age.
Angel Cake Cathy Cassidy
Review by Phoebe Fordyce, Age 13, Ruawai College
When Polish teen Anya and her family pack up and move to Liverpool, her dreams of a better life are instantly shattered. Instead of the cute cottage and the pink cheeked schoolgirls described in her books, Anya is faced with a miserable flat and a swirling mass of students, treating her like a zoo exhibit when they realise she doesn't speak their language. How can she possibly cope?
This story is about the power of friendship, and how just by hanging out with someone who is on their own, you can improve their life. I think that this is an important message for young people, especially those that don't believe that one person can make a difference. Something else I really liked about this book is the quirkiness of the characters, and the way they develop during the story and end up better people at the end of the book.
Although the characters weren't entirely believable - for example, Anya's proficiency with English- they were fun to read about. I enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to tween to teen girls who like stories with a little drama, a little romance, and a happily ever after!
The 10pm Question Kate De Goldi
Review by Rhea duFresne-Mann, Age 12, Waimea Intermediate
I’ve never had a question that worried me more than, ‘will the boat rock?’
When I read Kate DeGoldis latest book, The 10pm Question, it seemed that Frankie Parsons was in a boat that was always rocking. His best friend Gigs rocked the boat because he only cared about cricket and his trombone, Gordana rocked the boat because she had swiped the only crisp apple, Louie rocked the boat because he had shop-lifted from Pak-n-Save, Uncle George rocked the boat because he comes home from work late, and Ma, rocked the boat the most because she hadn’t been out of the house for 9 years since her parents died.
But then someone else jumped in… and caused the boat to tip over completely!
A truly excellent book, I give it a score of 5 out of 5!
The Hunger Game Suzanne Collins
Review by George Gaimster, Age 13, Paraparaumu Beach School
The Hunger Game is an event in which 24 contestants aged between 12 and 18 fight to the death until there is only one victor.
Tension builds early when 12 year old Primrose's name is called for the hunger games and Katniss, Prim's sister steps forward in her place.
This book has an easily understandable storyline. The scene-setting is excellent. I couldn't put it down because as soon as the tension subsides, something else happens and it comes right back. It is very unpredictable which made it gripping and a real page turner. Watch out for the ending, it might be a suprise.
Furthermore, a wide vocabulary is used in the story, so that made it interesting. The pace is fairly fast but it was a relatively easy read.
There are parts that can be quite gruesome so it may be unsuitable for younger readers, but i would highly recommend it as a young adults book.
The only thing i didnt like was that it finished! It is an excellent read and i am looking forward to reading the sequal.
The Book Thief Marcus Zusak
Review by Mikayla Nelson, Age 17, Kaikoura High School
I liked the unusual way this book was written. Showing the Second World War through the eyes of death (personified) made for an interesting story. Interposed with the story of Lisel are thoughts from Death: 'war is like a new boss who stands at your shoulder saying "Get it done, get it done"; "Just dont ask me to be nice. Nice has nothing to do with me." This gives Death a personality and feelings. I thought it was a clever way to write, especially given the setting of the Second World War.
I thought it was amazing how the characters managed to be happy despite the suffering they went through. They often joked: Rudy was always asking Lisel 'How about a kiss Sasumench?" (Sasumench is an insult to a women in German) The children play football on the street and rob orchards. It showed how happiness can come from something as simple as a single lolly, or, in Lisel's case learning to read a book on grave digging. This book showed how resilient human nature can be even under the most trying of circumstances, with the case in point being those in Germany in the Second World War.
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