Review by Jordan Smith, Age 7, St Francis Catholic Primary School

Winner of Scholastic reviews competition October 2011

This book is about a boy who has books that come to life. One night when the boy’s mother had finished reading to him she forgot to take the book out of his room so heaps of characters popped out. First the wolf comes to life and then the boy has to open the book again to bring other characters to help him like the Fairy Godmother who turns the wolf into a caterpillar.
Just to make sure no other characters come to life to hurt him he puts all his books in a pile and puts his bed on top of them, climbs in and switches off the light. Then he dreams about fierce caterpillars, fashionable wolves and grouchy godmothers.
Lauren Child is also the illustrator and her drawings are brilliant. The pictures alone could tell this story they are so good.

Review by Bianca Gugich, 7 years, St Francis Catholic Primary School

Runner-up of Scholastic reviews competition October 2010

Daisy does not like peas. Her mum keeps on bribing her to eat the peas but it doesn’t work. Her Mum said if you eat your peas I will give you 10 puddings and you can skip your bath and I will buy you a baby elephant. Daisy still did not eat her peas. Daisy said she would only eat her peas if her Mum ate her brussel sprouts. Her Mum didn’t like brussel sprouts but they both like pudding so they ate that.
The illustrator is Nick Sharratt and I liked the way he did the faces to look like a painting. I also liked the way the illustrator used peas for the necklaces and earrings.

Review by Bianca Tarawa, 5 years, St Francis Catholic Primary School

Review by Aimee Clark, 12 years, Iona College

Winner of Scholastic reviews competition October-2010

Journey to the River Sea is the story of Maia, an English orphan. When Maia finds her long lost relatives she is overjoyed. Travelling up the Amazon River will be a fantastic adventure …… won’t it? And living with a new family will be great …… won’t it?
When a sinister plot is hatched and a suspected kidnap is Brewing, will Maia have enough courage to save her friends and sacrifice herself!
This is a fast moving book not for the faint hearted. Set in Brazil, a lush green paradise full of tropical fragrance and vibrant colours. It’s 1910 and the rubber business is booming. Deep lagoons are hidden within mangrove trees giving an exotic feel to the story.
The way the book is written is amazing, it’s written in a dreamy hypnotic and descriptive way making the world alive on the page. This is a completely different world to our modern chaos . A pristine and untouched land!
I recommend this book to anyone with a sense of adventure and anyone who believes in magic. A masterpiece in literature. 10/10.

Review by Giorgia Zigliani, 8 years, St Francis Catholic Primary School

Runner-up of Scholastic reviews competition October 2010

Snow bear likes the look of the rainbow so much he longs to take up its colours. The wise man told him not to pounce on the rainbow but just to wish on it. When he gets his wish he faces danger as men from a big ship catch him and place him in a cage so everybody could see him. He needs help from a boy to wish again on the rainbow and return back to his life as a polar bear. It was a lovely story and I was pleased the polar bear was rescued and became himself again.
Michael Foreman illustrated this book and they are wonderful. They have a spark of imagination and make you feel warm inside. I would give this book 10 and it is my favourite sophisticated picture book.

Review by Harry McLauchlan, 10 years, Witherlea Primary School

Runner-up of Scholastic reviews competition October 2010

This book is about a boy named Matt Logan who is spending his school holidays in Rotorua with his Grandma and her new husband. He meets a boy next door called Jackson (nickname Juzza) who wants to join the local gang WFK. Jackson and Matt go on an adventure. They find treasure and a skeleton and they also try to solve a mystery.
Opinion:
I thought this book was very good because it was a great story and it kept me interested from the start to the end. I could relate to my story because I like having adventures, too. There are some bad words tin this story, watch out, younger readers.
I think this story is suitable for ages 10 plus, or good younger readers.

Review by Olivia Gray, 13 years, Christchurch Girls High School

Winner of Scholastic reviews competition October 2010

Picture this, a quiet eerie wind, an empty home, no one is around. You turn around to face your friends, their faces are all mirror images of despair. Their minds are all racing to find an explanation. You pick up a telegram from your Dad telling you “to run for your life- go bush.” This is when you realise that you are alone.
Ellie is your average country teenager. Her life is filled with sheep, school and friends. Her summer holidays stretch before her filled with nothingness. So when her best friend Corrie suggests a hike into Hell she jumps at the idea. 2 days later, Ellie and Corrie along with Homer, Lee, Fi, Robyn and Kevin are off to Hell. Hell starts off as a tramping destination, but soon becomes a refuge when they discover that soldiers had taken over the small outback town of Wirrrawee where they live. And that Wirrawee is being used as the main war base of the enemy soldiers.
This story raises the question of right and wrong when Ellie and her friends embark on a mission to help the war effort and ultimately rescue their family and friends from the grasp of the enemy. Is wrong right when your world is tipped upside down? Or are the enemy the true heroes? Are they really just trying to help? Is it O.K to do things deemed wrong to help loved ones? And the final big question- Do all these things really matter if you truly believe in what you’re doing?
John Marsden has written a superb book for teenagers, with his relatable characters, unique writing style and engrossing plot, you’re in the front row seat for this fast paced book that you just can’t put down. All teenagers and young at heart will thoroughly enjoy this book that will leave you wanting more.

Review by Amy Hardie, 13 years, Christchurch Girls' High School

Runner-up of Scholastic reviews competition October 2010

Picture this; you’re a young teenage girl in the big country Afghanistan. You’re forced to cut your hair and dress as a boy just so you can walk the streets. You’re the one the family is relying on to bring home money or even food. You’re constantly wondering when your next meal might be. But you’re the one who has set goals and will travel all around the dangerous Afghanistan plains just to accomplish them.
This is all part of the world Deborah Ellis has created for this book Shauzia. This inspirational story is much like the real Afghanistan but is more full and detailed.
Shauzia’s story begins in an Afghanistan town called Kabul where Shauzia is stuck with her constantly fighting family and hates her job as a tea boy. So Shauzia leaves home with her mind strongly set on reaching her dreams and making it to France. But things get harder than she thinks when she finds new friends and can’t seem to leave them or take them with her. Shauzia works the most horrible jobs just to earn money so she can accomplish her dreams. At every moment she fears for her life, whether it’s standing on a mine or starving to death she just keeps on going.
The way Deborah Ellis writes keeps the story full and on the edge of your seat the whole way through. This book is full of danger, adventure, friendship, excitement and at times can be a bit of a tear jerker. This book is very hard to put down once you start; from the first chapter I was hooked. The way this book is written creates a clear visual image in the reader’s mind. This book is a perfect read for ages 10 and over. Overall this book is highly recommended and will leave you wanting more.

Review by Becky Jenkins, 13 years, Christchurch Girls' High School

Runner-up of Scholastic reviews competition October 2010

Picture this…You’re just eleven years old, your house has been hit by a bomb, your father has just died, and your mother and sisters are across the other side of Afghanistan! Set in recent times during the Taliban attacks, ‘Parvana’s Journey’ by Deborah Ellis is the wholly engrossing sequel to the international best seller ‘Parvana’.
Parvana’s journey to find her family is filled with danger, barriers she must overcome, as well as moments of happiness with the friends she makes along the way.
One challenge that Parvana faces is taking on the responsibility of an abandoned child even when she is struggling to care for herself.
Parvana inspires me with the way she tackles every situation she encounters. She is a determined, ambitious, and persevering heroine who, by the end of the novel, I feel I know and truly admire.
I thoroughly recommend this book because it is an excellent novel that you just don’t want to put down, however, it is not without its fair share of tears shed for Parvana’s pain and the suffering we see all around her. Every page you read is full of excitement and suspense, and leaves you hungry for more of Parvana’s adventures! I think Deborah Ellis develops Parvana’s character brilliantly, and she communicates very clearly that here in the developed world, we are so fortunate to live without war or shortage of food.
I rate this novel 10 out of 10!