Puffin book of big dreams - stories to spark your imagination
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241438206. 409p.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. A week-long festival surrounded the
launch of this book in the UK to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Puffin in
publishing. In June 2020, #PuffinDreamer invited the faithful to
live-streamed author readings and writing activities on social
media.
Puffin's hardback tome compiles excerpts about dreams or aspirations
from the most lauded books published since 1940, under the little
bird's brand. Many short stories, reflections and poems by
contemporary writers and children, link the anthology to the present
and the future. Allegories like, King of the World by
Charlie Higson and Doris the Chicken who Saved the World
written and illustrated by Mini Grey, bolster dreams beyond personal
ambition and reference popular culture to envisage a better world. Ballet Shoes and The Borrowers represent some of the
timeless classics, and we are delighted anew with the
anthropomorphism of Charlotte's Web and the Sheep-Pig.
Our imaginations continue to soar with the BFG and Truckers
and we remain touched by the profundity of Stig (of the
Dump) or Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
Puffin's prophets are assembled in a mighty tribute, not only as a
legacy but to show tomorrow's children the importance of reading,
writing and dreaming, to enrich our lives. The piece most indicative
of the spirit of this important sampler of children's literature is
The A-Z of Amazing. Rashmi Sirdeshpande shows kids and adults
alike, how a life must be lived to the full in this succinct primer.
Undoubtedly, a life without Puffin's books would be a very poor life
indeed.
Dreamers are too many to mention but anticipate: Helen Oxenbury,
Roald Dahl, Dick King-Smith, Patricia Forde, Sam Copeland, Clive
King, Jill Murphy, Michael Morporgo, Nazneen Ahmed, Raymond Briggs
and dozens of the A-list authors and illustrators signed by Puffin.
Puffin also acknowledges the social context when selecting, so it's
not surprising to sample quotes and motivational pieces from
brilliant leaders, scientists and actors.
Thank you all at Puffin for 80 years of big dreams, or seeds of
dreams and perhaps the impetus for achieving our own legacies and a
better world. Keep handy, it's bound to help the patron deciding
'who' to read next, or a captive class with only a few minutes for
literature appreciation. And to celebrate the 80th anniversary of
Puffin, throughout the month of September 2020, you'll be able to
score your very own Puffin water bottle for FREE! All you have to do
is visit your local bookstore and purchase two Puffin books of your
choice to receive your water bottle - at participating bookstores
while stocks last.
Deborah Robins
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780141338484. Board book.
(Age: 0-5) Highly recommended. This big board book of a favourite
that has stood the test of years will delight another generation of
children. First published in 1969, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
has delighted children and adults over the years and having it in a
sturdy, hard wearing large format will make it even more attractive
for the very young child.
The very hungry caterpillar starts out as a tiny little egg on a
leaf. Then the sun comes up and out pops a tiny and very hungry
caterpillar who proceeds to munch through different fruits for each
day of the week. On Saturday he eats through so many inappropriate
foods that he has a stomach-ache and then must eat a lovely green
leaf to recover. Ultimately, he makes a cocoon for himself before he
turns into a beautiful butterfly.
My 11-month-old grandson loves this book and is happy to hear it
again and again. The holes that the little caterpillar makes
intrigue him and he enjoys putting his fingers in them while looking
at the bright pictures. The eyes on the caterpillar are another
feature that fascinate, and he likes that the board pages are strong
enough for him to turn over himself. And of course there is a lot of
subtle learning going on as the caterpillar eats: the names of days
of the week, the names of different pieces of fruit, their colours
and counting up to five, as well as a warning that overeating can
give you a stomach ache. And of course, there is the whole life
cycle of the butterfly, leading to lots of investigation of
caterpillars especially in Spring when they are often in the garden.
A perfect gift for a new baby and a wonderful book to have in any
library. There are others in the hungry caterpillar series, too
including: Where
is the very hungry caterpillar?, The
very hungry caterpillar's hide and seek, and The
very hungry caterpillar's birthday party. And to
celebrate the 80th anniversary of Puffin, throughout the month of
September 2020, you'll be able to score your very own Puffin water
bottle for FREE! All you have to do is visit your local bookstore
and purchase two Puffin books of your choice to receive your water
bottle - at participating bookstores while stocks last.
Pat Pledger
A long petal of the sea by Isobel Allende
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526615909.
(Age: Senior secondary/adult) Highly recommended. In the late
1930's, Civil War rages in Spain, Franco's forces push the remnants
of the opposition back to Catalonia, and Victor Dalmau, a Republican
army doctor marries his brother's lover, Roser, so that they can
both leave Spain for Chile. A ship, SS Winnipeg has been
organised by Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, for 2200 refugees to leave
the detention camps hastily assembled by the French to accommodate
the Spanish refugees, and Victor, knowing his brother is dead and
wanting to save the life of his almost sister in law and her unborn
child, marries her to board the ship. War is about to be declared as
Franco and Hitler work together in defeating the spent Republican
army.
Against the background of war, of stinking hospitals and dead and
dying young men, Allende builds her story of a family surviving
through the carnage, detention camps, life on board the Winnipeg
then settling in Chile with its own problems, leading to the
overthrow of President Allende in 1974. Victor has links to the
poet, who organised the Winnipeg and these links continue
after arriving in Chile, and through his life we see the problems of
the country laid before us. He is friendly with a large group of
people, some supporting Allende, a popularly elected president, with
whom Victor plays chess, as well as businessmen and financiers
supporting the wealthy who do not want a socialist government. The
political intriguing behind the scenes is explained through the
family, making it so much more accessible without the formality of a
textbook.
Allende's introduction shows why she wrote the story, meeting Victor
as an older man in Venezuela, the place he goes to after getting out
of a concentration camp in Chile, sent there after the military coup
because of his links to Allende.
Isobel Allende's father was a cousin to President Allende, killed
after a right wing coup in 1973, officially by his own hand, and so
she and her family had to flee Chile, relocating to Venezuela. Her
story of Victor is a heady mixture of fact and fiction, resulting in
an entertaining, informative and highly readable historical novel,
one which will have readers heading to the internet to satisfy their
curiosities.
Despite the pragmatic beginning to their marriage, love between
Victor and Roser develops, and their relationship gathers strength
after the coup placing Pinochet as president. A family saga covering
three generations and set against the Spanish Civil War, World War
Two, the flight to Chile by Spanish refugees, then the eight wing
coup, the story leads us to the present day as the pair grapples
with old age as their country starts anew.
Theme: Civil war, Spain, Chile, Franco, Allende, Pinochet, Detention
camps, Concentration camps, Refugees, SS Winnipeg.
Fran Knight
Humpty Dumpty sat on the slide by Tony Wilson
Illus. by Laura Wood. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN: 9781743834770.
(Age: 3+) When Humpty Dumpty comes down the slide he sticks as he is
too wide, and no one can help him, certainly not the king's horses
and the kings' cows. Everyone laughs, and Humpty Dumpty laughs along
with them. So begins a parody of the well known Humpty Dumpty
nursery rhyme, the readers expecting the rhyme to go in the way they
know but being surprised when it takes a different tack. The readers
will listen intently to see where each line goes, and laugh with
Humpty Dumpty when he falls, although when it happens over again
children will be very sympathetic with the bullied egg. This comes
to the fore when the group is playing a game and Humpty Dumpty is
not invited to join in: he simply watches from the sidelines, and
with his composed good nature cheers them on. Children will feel
sorrow for the neglected egg and think about what he could do or
what they would do in that situation.
The crunch comes when he goes along to a birthday party and the
group tells him to go away as he is not invited. Fortunately the
birthday girl stops them and takes him as her special friend,
telling them all that he has been invited. The group then has a
great time at the party, particularly Humpty Dumpty who even when he
falls, finds that the king's horses and the king's men cannot
separate him from his friend.
With simple rhymes, asking readers to anticipate the rhyming word,
and seeing how differently the words scan compared to the known
nursery rhyme, this story has broad appeal as it encourages children
to think about exclusion and isolation, about friendship and being
in a group. The bullying that occurs represents things they see
every day, and readers will see how Humpty feels about it and so
sympathise, seeing themselves and others in that situation, and
thinking and talking about a way out.
Themes: Parody, Humpty Dumpty, Friendship, Bullying.
Fran Knight
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Puffin, 2016. ISBN: 9780141365428. 224pp., pbk.
When Sophie is woken by a silver moonbeam shining through a crack in
the curtains, and, against the rules of the orphanage in which she
lives, she gets out of bed to close the curtain she has no idea that
her life is about to take her on the most amazing adventure and be
changed forever.
For as she peeks out she sees a most amazing sight . . . coming up
the other side of the street was something black. Something tall and
black. Something very tall and very black and very thin.
It is nearly 40 years since I first picked up this book by Roald
Dahl, creator of classic characters like Willy Wonka and Miss
Truncbull and as I read the first few pages, I could hear myself
sharing the story with my students. All these years on and countless
students have met the iconic big, friendly giant as it has been my
go-to book in so many situations. Share the passage of his
description, get the children to identify the keywords and then
interpret these in drawing and discuss why each child's work is
different even though they started with the same information. Drop
coloured dye onto paper towelling, write your dream on it, put it in
a jar and open it on the last day of school to see if you still have
the same dreams . . .
Using his gift for language that remains with us and his irreverence
for adults, Dahl delights children with his tales and it is time now
for the next generation to become fans, just as those who have met
him previously have done.
So, on this Roald
Dahl Day 2020 introduce your students to one of the world's
greatest storytellers and let the fun begin.
Barbara Braxton
The reckless afterlife of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James
Walker Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781406391121.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. What a unique ride! There are ghosts with
strong powers surviving the afterlife in a desolate building and
then there is Harriet Stoker a newly formed ghost, determined to
return home to her grandmother, no matter the cost to everyone
around her. Chaos reigns as she exploits the little group of friends
who have made a family for themselves in the afterlife. There is
Rima, with her fox spirit Cody, Felix who is in love with the
oblivious Kasper, and Leah and her baby Claudia, all who have bonded
together. They are willing to accept Harriet into their group and
help her adjust to the afterlife, but Harriet has no qualms about
pursuing everyone's powers and making them her own.
The plot has many twists and turns and keeps the reader engrossed,
trying to work out just what is going on and whether Harriet will
destroy many of the ghosts in the building. There are clues left for
the observant reader, but many, many surprises as Harriet ploughs
through the spirits in the building, not caring who she hurts on the
way.
Told in multiple voices of Harriet and the group of friends, with
the addition of an unidentified narrator, this clever and compulsive
story richly describes each of the individuals and gives insight
into their personalities, strengths and weaknesses and the life they
lead. Although Harriet is flawed, the reader can identify with the
way that her grandmother has brought her up, emphasising a selfish
outlook on life, and even when appalled at her actions can still
feel some sympathy for her. The relationship between Felix and
Kasper is beautifully handled and even baby Claudia is a stunning
character.
This is a ghost story like no other I have read. James has the
capacity to write engrossing stories that beg to be read in a couple
of sittings, while at the same time examining some thought provoking
themes. In this novel she looks at good versus evil and the ethics
of an individual selfishly using other people and their powers, and
whether individuals are accountable for their own actions or can
blame how they are brought up and the power of fear.
An original ghost story, this thriller is sure to appeal to fans of
the supernatural genre.
Pat Pledger
The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020. ISBN: 9781526629418.
(Age: 9+) Highly recommended. Eleven year old Kate and her younger
brother Tom embark on a remarkable adventure in a magical steam
train aptly named The Silver Arrow. In Kate's mind her life so far
is mundane and boring as her parents are busy with work and she
feels it is time for something interesting to happen so she contacts
her wealthy Uncle Herbert and asks for a present. Uncle Herbert
delivers a steam train much to the horror of Kate and Tom's sensible
parents and they are forbidden to climb on it. However as children
do, they ignore their parents and are whisked away for the adventure
of a life time. Along the journey they collect an assortment of
talking animals who are waiting patiently at train stations in a
variety of continually changing landscapes and environments. The
steam train is their teacher while they are on the journey and
encourages the children to solve each problem thoughtfully as it
arises, as well as managing the roles of the driver, conductor and
carrying out maintenance on the train. Both Kate and Tom show
surprising resilience and perseverance to overcome some challenging
situations and they learn to work as a team. The animals befriended
by Kate and Tom finally admit that they are running away from humans
who have destroyed their habitats and they are on the brink of
extinction. The children form a close bond with the animals and grow
to understand how dangerous the human world is for them.
This is the first children's novel written by author Lev Grossman
who is well known for his Magician's trilogy. In The
Silver Arrow he has created a wonderful world of magic and
fantasy where animals have an opinion and are listened to, where two
young siblings overcome dangerous situations and learn to be kind to
each other, as well as realising the adult world is fraught with
complications. An exciting and action-packed read which young
readers who love to escape into imaginary worlds will appreciate and
enjoy. Themes: Adventure, Magic, Endangered Animals, Steam Trains,
Siblings, Fantasy.
Kathryn Beilby
Bush school by Peter O'Brien
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781760876807.
Written in the first person, this is an interesting detailed memoir
of life as a "bonded" primary school teacher at a first country
teaching appointment during 1960-61. Teachers would empathize with
the challenges of teaching 18 children from all grades in a one room
school with minimal materials - and no electricity!
From a 2020 perspective, it is surprising to note the level of
control over the content of the curriculum by the NSW Education
Department monitored by its inspectors. In contrast, a theme
throughout the book is the effort of O'Brien to devise student
centred teaching methods and individual programmes for his varied
cohort of students. Student centred teaching is an enduring theme
and strong belief of the author at a time when rote learning was
more the norm.
The memoir is also a social history of the customs and life of a
very small, isolated country community encompassing class, poverty,
racial discrimination, and the value placed on education. O'Brien
often expands these issues to Australian society in general.
The mental toll on the author (only 20 years of age and with limited
teaching experience) separated from family, friends, girlfriend and
colleagues is apparent.
Having spent time in several country appointments, I found the
reminiscences interesting. Something called "a jelly tray" was used
to replicate written materials from a master copy!
The book is an easy read and would be of use for students studying
life in Australia during the early sixties.
Ann Griffin
Sleep 101: How to sleep like a baby by Beck & Matt Stanton
Self-Help for Babies book 1. ABC Books, 2020. ISBN:
9780733341151.
(Age: All) Recommended. Filled with delightful illustrations and
instructions of where a baby should or could sleep, this little book
is a lot of fun and reassurance for parents or grandparents about
getting a baby to sleep. It is also suitable to read to a small
baby.
The authors combine their skill in making people laugh and drawing
wonderful evocative little pictures, starting with the message
'Babies need sleep' with a picture showing a cot with the
instructions, 'You sleep here'. The book then proceeds with pictures
and very short sentences showing the places that a baby doesn't
sleep: a bouncer, a stroller, a car, a backpack and finally the
parent's bed. It then goes on to describe the same places for the
desperate parent to try if the baby won't go to sleep in the cot.
The black and white line drawings against a blue or green background
are hilarious and I especially identified with the grinning baby
sitting on the parent's bed and the final picture of a contented
baby breastfeeding.
Every parent will have gone through the process of trying to get a
baby to go to sleep and will recognise the situations and
instructions in this little book, knowing that they are not alone in
the trials of getting a baby to sleep. Siblings will also have fun
reading it aloud.
Pat Pledger
Bear in space by Deborah Abela
Illus. by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. Walker Books, 2020. ISBN:
9781760651510.
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Bear dreams of space travel, building
himself a rocket ship and taking on board his dog, books, an extra
blanket and a thermos of hot chocolate to drink.
He tries to tell the other bears of his interest and plans but they
laugh at him and his interesting facts. But he finally is ready and
blasts off, drifting around in space, drinking his chocolate and
reading his books. Here no one laughs at him or calls him names. One
day just as he is beginning to feel somewhat alone he spies
something coming towards him. It is Panda and he invites her on
board. She is just as interested in space and they share their
enthusiasm about rockets and asteroids and alien life forms, making
plans for future forays into space together. When they return
to Earth they find their plans are noticed by the other bears, and
one even volunteers to go into space with them. The bears no
longer laugh but ask questions, and they are answered.
This delightful story about space, complete with a sprinkling of
interesting facts throughout the book, will enthral younger readers
as they notice the trappings that all good space explorers need to
have. Not only will readers be encouraged to look up and view the
night sky, but will be intrigued by Bear's explorations, asking
about other space explorers and what they have seen. The facts
dotted in the story also intrigue and delight, giving a few basic
facts about space that are easily absorbed and become a stepping
stone to learning more about the space above us.
The digital illustrations are also a treat as we see the space gear
that Bear and Panda wear and use, all easily made from recycled
material available in the home or classroom, encouraging readers to
emulate Bear and Panda in their endeavours.
Each page is illuminated with images of space: stars, galaxies,
constellations, satellites, rockets, the sun and many many books
with titles that will bring smiles of recognition to the reader. A
quiet humour instills the story and is replicated in the
illustrations, as Bear and Panda find each other in space, sharing
the same passion.
The bullying by the other bears is undermined when they see his
success, and begin to show interest themselves. Activities are
available in the Story
Time Kit. Deb and Marjorie introduceBear in space.
Themes: Space, Rockets, Space travel, Bullying, Friendship.
Fran Knight
The abstainer by Ian McGuire
Simon and Schuster, 2020. ISBN: 9781471163609.
(Age: Senior secondary/Adult) Highly recommended. In 1867, three
members of the Fenian Brotherhood were hanged in Manchester for the
murder of a policeman. McGuire imagines a story of revenge flowing
from this event as an Irish American man with a heart set on
retribution is brought to Manchester fresh from the bloody Civil War
that had engulfed the USA in previous years. He must keep himself
well hidden, knowing the local police have a network of informers.
Within a day of his landing he has killed three of these men,
sending a brutal message to others who may be tempted to help the
police.
Constable James O'Connor, brought over from Dublin to help the
Manchester Police find this man, is under suspicion from the start:
his accent, his sympathy with the Irish cause, his recent history
with his superiors, all contrive against him. His dead wife and
child form a cross he carries and and he must fight his need to
resort to drink.
The paths of Doyle and O'Connor are destined to cross as one seeks
mayhem and the other justice for his dead informer.
McGuire captures the atmosphere within the city of Manchester with
impressive detail. Poverty is ever present as O'Connor walks the
streets, visits people in their slum accommodation, talks to his
superiors, all the while noting the vast difference between Irish
and English with detail about food, housing and access to work.
We meet all sorts in McGuire's Victorian Manchester from the pimps
to the well healed, the prostitutes and drunks who inhabit the pubs,
the informers, corrupt police, and those who want the case to be
wrapped up quickly, so putting O'Connor at odds with his own
organisation. After the hasty hangings at the beginning of the
novel, sympathy lies with the Fenians struggling to free Ireland
from the British overlordship but their methods alienate O'Connor
and the reader. Both men struggle with the burden of their pasts,
and their contest makes for involving reading. Themes: Crime,
Manchester (UK), Fenian Society, Revenge.
Fran Knight
Huberta's big surprise by Klay and Mark Lamrpell
Illus. by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. Scholastic, 2020. ISBN:
9781742994109.
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Huberta loves to spring surprises on the
other animals at her zoo. Often they are surprised but also a little
put out by her antics. One day the zookeeper announces that she has
been invited to another zoo to visit. The truck that pulls into the
zoo to take her on her visit arrives, but cannot start. Huberta is
undeterred and announces that she will make her own way there. So
she catches a bus, sitting next to a young girl with blue hair. When
she alights from the Number One bus, she catches the Second tram to
the wharf to catch the ferry. She talks to the three pirates on
board, eats four flowers in the park, takes the escalator to
platform five and catches metro six to the airport, sitting with
seven passengers. She sits in row eight and then on the way to the
zoo, sees nine hot air balloons in the sky. There are ten animals
waiting to greet her, but she has a big surprise for them, something
quite unexpected.
Digitally illustrated the animals leap from each page, encouraging
younger readers to recognise and name them, counting as they turn
each page. What child could resist following Huberta's antics as she
splashes, jumps, pogo sticks, laughs and surprises all the animals
in turn. They will enjoy her interactions with others on the forms
of transport she uses though the story, and watch as she seems to
collect things along the way. She sees a range of people and animals
on her journey, and the story underlines the behaviour expected on
forms of transport children might use with their parents or
teachers.
For classes discussing different modes of transport, this book will
easily fill a niche, and for sheer good fun, it is a playful read.
Themes: Animals, Zoos, Transport, Humour.
Fran Knight
Cursed by Thomas Wheeler
Penguin Random House UK, 2020. ISBN: 9780241376621.
(Ages: 13+ or Yr 9+) In this Arthurian legend retold, women play
more of a part in the story, with strong female characters
supporting the female lead. Following outcast Nimue, Fey born though
cursed by The Hidden, this adventure filled fantasy begins when
Nimue's entire village is slaughtered. Before passing, her mother
charges Nimue to get the Sword of Power to Merlin, but on the way
Nimue discovers her own power and joins forces with other outcast
Fey. Now working to protect those who made her an outcast, Nimue
must find a way for them to survive. With royalty, religious groups
and Fey kind coveting the Sword of Power, Nimue has an arduous
journey ahead of her.
Now available as a series on Netflix, Cursed is a dark (and
loose) retelling of the traditional Arthur stories, with plenty of
battles and action. Having read the book, I am curious how the
TV-show adaptation might be in comparison - I expect it would be
just as epically violent and bloodthirsty (which means I might not
watch it!). Littered with illustrations throughout, the book has
more female characters than I've ever heard of in an Arthur legend,
which is a nice addition. As is the potential for a legendary QUEEN
(back cover), in place of the traditional legendary king. Along with
the renowned Merlin, Arthur makes his appearance, but the story
focuses on Nimue, her quest and the battle for the Sword of Power.
Themes: Folklore, Myths and legends, Vengeance, Refugees, Unifying
groups, Girl power.
Melanie Phillips
From Stella Street to Amsterdam and everything that happened by Elizabeth Honey
Allen & Unwin, 2020. ISBN: 9781865084541. 424pp.
(Ages: 12 - 15) Highly recommended. This story is the very welcome
return of Henni Octon but this time she leaves Stella Street and
accompanies elderly and feisty Willa to Amsterdam. The neighbours of
Stella Street have raised funds so that Henni can undertake this
important role on their behalf. Willa has not been back to the
Netherlands since the end of WW2 and is returning for a family
wedding and also to contend with unresolved family issues. After a
frightening flight to Dubai Willa behaves strangely and alludes to
important secrets. Henni loves bike riding back home and soon buys a
bike on which she can escape but also explore Amsterdam. This is the
area where Anne Frank hid away in WW2. Henni learns more about
Willa's family involvement in hiding Jewish people and she battles
with the responsibility of knowing this secret information. At times
she feels unwelcome by the family, however she also makes a good
friend who introduces her to the world of younger people in the
town.
Honey has created an admirable 3D character in Henni who is often
wiser than adults and cares about a fairer world. The book serves as
Henni's journal and in this way we understand Henni's self-doubts,
humorous observations and emotional growth. Also, since Henni
(Elizabeth Honey) is a poet and illustrator, there are great
sketches, jottings, poems and photos. Emails and text messages bring
conversations from family and friends back home in Stella Street.
There are very sad poignant scenes and a few amazing coincidences in
the plot, but that's fiction! You get to learn a about Amsterdam's
cobbled streets, canals, red light district and architecture. You
also learn how to pronounce many Dutch words. Readers who enjoyed
the Morris Gleitzman Once series or Anne Frank's Diary
of a Young Girl, may enjoy this book. It is quite long but a
compulsive read. This is suitable for young adult readers because of
its more mature emotional themes. Teacher's
notes are available.
Jo Marshall
The World of Roald Dahl by Roald Dahl
Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780241447970.
Highly recommended. The World of Roald Dahl is a fabulous
book for anyone who thinks that Roald Dahl's books are wonderful
(and who doesn't!) and also those who love activity books.
This book is 95 pages of laughter, interesting facts, amazing
illustrations, and anything else you could imagine to be written
about Roald Dahl. There are fascinating pieces of information such
as how he only wrote on yellow lines paper and hated beards! And
even a section dedicated to teaching readers how to be a storyteller
just like Roald.
I also enjoyed reading about Quentin Blake, the illustrator who at
almost 90 is still illustrating the new editions and writing his own
books. His pictures are on every page and that makes this book
unapologetically all about Roald Dahl and his famous style.
The book has pages where readers can add in their own information;
such as what they would do if they had their own giant peach,
tallying up how many books they had read, make their way through a
maze and using a special code to make up their very own Wonka style
chocolate bar.
On top of all of that there is a delicious sounding chocolate cake
recipe and a 30-question long Roald Dahl quiz. This book really has
it all and covers so many of his wonderful books, characters and
curious facts that go along with it.
This is a really great addition to any library, or as a gift, as
Roald Dahl is one of those authors that seems to have the ability to
reach out to so many children at so many stages of their reading. He
is funny, quirky, and a pleasure to read about.
4.5 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
