Review: Caravan Fran by Cheryl Orsini

Author: Cheryl Orsini

Publisher: Hachette Children’s Books Australia

Amazon – TBD

Release date: 28^th April 2015

Pages: 24

Synopsis:

Three friends are setting off on a beach holiday - but when things go wrong, some quick thinking helps save the day.

Three friends in Spring - Dave, Sam and Joe - with faithful caravan Fran in tow, were heading north for a holiday, off to the seashore, far away.

Three friends have an unexpected adventure while on their way to the beach in Caravan Fran. When Fran hits a bump in the road, the friends' dog, Ray, tumbles out and falls in the creek. Sam jumps in to rescue Ray ... then Joe jumps in to rescue Ray AND Sam. Eventually they all make it safely to the seaside - just in time for dinner!

A gorgeously illustrated celebration of holidays and friendship told in rhyming text.

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

This picture book, written by Cheryl Orsini, is a lovely read that will draw your little one into the story with the beautiful illustrations and a sweet story-line with a lovely friendship theme.

Our characters, led by Fran are embarking on a seaside holiday but things don’t always go smoothly and the friends have to work together to make it to the seashore in time for their dinner, it was a delightful adventure and great to see the little friends working together.

Attractive illustrations are also by Cheryl Orsini, they are throughout the book and effortlessly picture the scenery and characters in a way that is a story in itself, the details are wonderful. The text was easy to read and was written in rhyme, always a favourite of ours.

Thank you kindly to Hachette Books Australia for the opportunity for Miss 7 to read Caravan Fran.

Biographical Notes 

Cheryl Orsini has illustrated more than fifteen children's books, including THE ABC BOOK OF CARS, TRAINS, BOATS AND PLANES (ABC Books), POM POM (Viking/Penguin), LET'S DO IT (Lothian Books/Hachette Australia) and COME ON, LET'S PLAY (Lothian Books/Hachette Australia). Her work also regularly appears in magazines and exhibitions. For more visit www.cherylorsini.com

Book recommendations :-)

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all well and it's nice and warm wherever you are! it is the first day of winter here in Australia and it is chilly!

We are looking for a few book recommendations, Master 10 is reading the last book in the Big Nate series at the moment, it's his new favourite alongside everything by Andy Griffiths!

I am also looking for recommendations for Miss 7, she is a huge fan of the Katie Woo series and Billy B Brown so we are after something a little similar.

These are books that have made their favourite's list!

1. Billy B. Brown by Sally Rippin

Billie B Brown The Bully Buster (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown The Missing Tooth (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown The Copycat Kid (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown The Pocket Money Blues (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown The Deep End (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown The Night Fright (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown, The Cutest Pet Ever (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Billie B Brown, The Spotty Holiday (Hardie Grant 2011) 

Billie B Brown, The Best Project (Hardie Grant 2011) 

Billie B Brown, The Little Lie (Hardie Grant 2011) 

Billie B Brown, The Birthday Mix-Up (Hardie Grant 2011) 

Billie B Brown, The Big Sister (Hardie Grant 2011) 

Billie B Brown, The Secret Message (Hardie Grant 2011) 

Billie B Brown, The Perfect Present (Hardie Grant 2010) 

Billie B Brown, The Beautiful Haircut (Hardie Grant 2010) 

Billie B Brown, The Extra-Special Helper (Hardie Grant 2010) 

Billie B Brown, The Second Best Friend (Hardie Grant 2010) 

Billie B Brown, The Midnight Feast (Hardie Grant 2010) 

Billie B Brown, The Bad Butterfly (Hardie Grant 2010) 

Billie B Brown, The Soccer Star (Hardie Grant 2010) 

 

(Not all books in the series are shown)

Billie B Brown,Spooky House

Billie B Brown,Code Breaker

Billie B Brown,Playground Detectives

Billie B Brown,Strawberry Thief

Billie B Brown,Treasure Hunt

  

  

2. Hey Jack by Sally Rippin

Hey Jack! The Best Party Ever (Hardie Grant 2013) 

Hey Jack! The Playground Problem (Hardie Grant 2013) 

Hey Jack! The Top Team (Hardie Grant 2013) 

Hey Jack! The Bumpy Ride (Hardie Grant 2013)

Hey Jack! The Circus Lesson (Hardie Grant 2013) 

Hey Jack! The Lost Reindeer (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The Worst Sleepover (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The Worry Monster (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The New Friend (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The Winning Goal (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The Scary Solo (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The Robot Blues (Hardie Grant 2012) 

Hey Jack! The Crazy Cousins (Hardie Grant 2012) 

(Not all books in the series are shown) 

3. EJ10: Spy School by Susannah McFarlane

EJ10: Spy School 1 - The Test (Scholastic)

EJ10: Spy School 2 - The Race (Scholastic)

EJ10: Spy School 3 - Secret Spy (Scholastic)

EJ10: Spy School 4 - Puppy Alert (Scholastic)

EJ10: Spy School 5 - Deep Water (Scholastic)

EJ10: Spy School 6 - Hide & Peek (Scholastic)

   

  

4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Amulet Books)

Rodrick Rules (Amulet Books)

The Last Straw (Amulet Books)

Dog Days (Amulet Books)

The Ugly Truth (Amulet Books)

Cabin Fever (Amulet Books)

5. Katie Woo

Katie Woo and Friends (Capstone kids)

Katie Woo and her Big Ideas (Capstone kids)

Katie Woo Don't be Blue (Capstone kids)

Katie Woo Loves School (Capstone kids)

Katie Woo Rules the School (Capstone kids)

Katie Woo Celebrates (Capstone kids)

 

6. Big Nate

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself – March 23, 2010 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate: Strikes Again – October 19, 2010 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate: On a Roll – August 16, 2011 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate Goes for Broke – March 20, 2012 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate Flips Out – February 5, 2013 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate In the Zone – March 11, 2014 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate Lives It Up - March 10, 2015 (HarperCollins)

Big Nate Blasts Off - 2016 (HarperCollins)

Review: Big Digger ABC by Margaret Mayo

Author: Margaret Mayo

Illustrator: Alex Ayliffe

Source: Hachette Children’s Books

Published by Orchard Books

Release date: April 2015

Hardback: $24.99aud

Synopsis: The ultimate book of vehicles from the creators of the bestselling Dig Dig Digging!

Explore the amazing A to Z of vehicles in this ultimate book of things that go. This bright and busy picture book is packed with all the vehicles little ones love, from diggers and fire engines to spaceships and underwater robots.

Margaret Mayo's lively, rhythmic text is perfect for reading aloud, while Alex Ayliffe's bold and colourful illustrations bring each mega machine to life in glorious detail. With one vehicle for every letter from A to Z, this is an exciting introduction to the alphabet and the perfect picture book for machine-mad little ones. 

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

As a toddler, my son was obsessed with everything to do with vehicles – especially emergency and construction so this book would have been amazing for when he was younger.

The illustrations are wonderfully detailed and are vividly appealing, they catch your eye and hold your interest which I feel is important in a  book such as Big Digger ABC.

It is educational, not only with the vehicles but also with the alphabet – each letter showcases a different vehicle starting with that letter, it is an all-round perfect book but I definitely feel little boys would prefer it. The writing is wonderful and is in rhyme which is always a lot of fun, my 7 year-old daughter read this out loud and thought it was great.

Thank you kindly to Hachette Children’s Books for the opportunity to read Big Digger ABC.

About the author: Margaret Mayo is an acclaimed storyteller and author who has been creating stories for children for over 35 years. She has written more than 50 books, including the bestselling Dig Dig Digging, Choo Choo Clickety-Clack and Stomp, Dinosaur, Stomp! A former teacher, Margaret uses her wide-ranging experience with children in her writing. She lives in Brighton.

About the Illustrator: Alex Ayliffe is a bestselling, award-winning writer and artist. Her distinctive papercut illustrations are bright and bold with lots of child appeal. Alex has illustrated many books for children, including the bestselling Emergency! and Boo Barney, winner of the Sainsbury’s Baby Book Award. She lives with her family in Hertfordshire.

Review: The Kaboom Kid #2: Playing Up

The Kaboom Kid #2: Playing Up

Author: David Warner

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Age group: 8-11

Pages: 160 pages

Release date:  December 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

For Ages: 8 - 11

Meet Little Davey Warner. He lives in Sandhill Flats with his mum and dad and his brother Steve – and his stinky dog Max. Davey and his schoolmates – even Max – are MAD for cricket. All they want to do is play … but there’s always something getting in their way.

In this second book in the series, Davey wishes he could be as good a cricketer as his older brother Steve, who’s always telling him to practise more. And there’s nothing else that Davey and his mates like to do more – the classroom is as good as the playground, right? Mr Mudge, the Year 6 teacher and absolute grump, doesn’t think so, especially after being donked on the head by the ball, and confiscates Davey’s precious bat, ‘Kaboom’.

What’s Davey going to do without his precious bat? It’s like a part of his body. And of course a selector has turned up at club training, and Davey’s HOPELESS without his bat. He’s really happy for his mate, Sunil, though, who the selector taps on the shoulder.

Davey’s feeling pretty down – that is, until Steve asks him to play up and fill in on his team for a big match. Davey’s ecstatic, but then realises that without Kaboom, he’ll let his brother down. He’s GOT to get Kaboom back … but how? And why does Mo Clouter think he can find it? In the meantime, Davey will keep practising, but will he be good enough to be play with his brother?

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book for review from the publishers, Simon & Schuster Australia.

Our main character is Davey Warner who lives in Sandhill Flats with his parents, his brother Steve and his dog Max. Davey absolutely loves cricket and tries to play it at any opportunity he can get.

When grumpy Mr Mudge, his year six teacher that despises cricket confiscates Kaboom, Davey’s beloved cricket bat Davey is more than dismayed. He is encouraged to practice his bowling but with the selectors due to view his game he didn’t feel he could do it without his special bat.

My 9 year old is a big fan of this series; he loved the first book The Big Switch but said this one was just as great! He did agree with Mr Mudge on Davey’s punishment which surprised me, he thought if he broke the rules he should be punished.

With easy to read text, short paragraphs and some wonderful illustrations – I highly recommend this series, especially to sports loving boys.

Thank you to Simon & Shuster Australia for the opportunity to read and review The Kaboom Kid #2: Playing Up.

Review: The Kaboom Kid #1: The Big Switch by David Warner

The Kaboom Kid #1: The Big Switch

Author: David Warner

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Age group: 8-11

Pages: 160 pages

Release date:  December 2014

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

For ages 8-11

Meet Little Davey Warner. He lives in Sandhill Flats with his mum and dad and his brother Steve – and his stinky dog Max. Davey and his schoolmates – even Max – are MAD for cricket. All they want to do is play … but there’s always something getting in their way.

In this first book in the series, Davey and his friends have a big game coming up against Shimmer Bay, their arch rivals in the local comp. They need to practise, and spend all their free time at school – in the morning and at lunchtime – making sure they’ll be ready.

But disaster strikes. Davey and his friends find out their new teacher is Mr Mudge, a strict grump who HATES cricket even more than he hates Year 6 boys, and thanks to bully Mo Clouter, they find themselves on detention. Which means no cricket.

The boys are desperate. They’re going to need to pull something special out of the bag to win against Shimmer Bay. Davey’s mates have some ideas, one that could really get them into trouble, but it means getting around Mo, who seems to be everywhere they turn.

But Davey has an idea that he thinks may just work … he just needs to practise. Will he pull it off in time for the game against Shimmer Bay?

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

The Kaboom Kid is part of a new series written by David Warner and aimed for children between the ages of 8-11.

Our main character is Davey Warner who lives in Sandhill Flats with his parents, his brother Steve and his dog Max. Davey absolutely loves cricket and tries to play it at any opportunity he can get.

Davey and his mates came across a problem when the start of the school year they get Mr Mudge as their Year 6 teacher, a man who would do anything to prevent the boys from playing a sport they all love. We enjoyed the way this problem was dealt with as well as the preparations and game against their arch rivals Shimmer Bay.

All of the characters were written well but we especially liked Davey who was likeable, we especially loved the background details on his cricket bat which was passed on from his grandfather and named Kaboom.

The chapters and short which really appealed to my 9 year old and there are illustrations throughout so it was visually entertaining.

The Kaboom Kid #1: The Big Switch is written well and my son didn’t find it difficult, confusing or overwhelming – I highly recommend this book, especially for young boys.

Thank you to Simon & Shuster Australia for the opportunity to read and review The Kaboom Kid #1: The Big Switch.

Review: Bums & Tums by Mandy Foot

Author: Mandy Foot

Publisher/Source: Hachette Australia

Release date: April 2015

Synopsis: The first lift-the-flap book from best-selling illustrator Mandy Foot.

Who has an orange bellybutton and hangs from a tree?

Who's big all over, but especially on their ears?

Who lives in Africa and has stripes on their knees?

Make a guess from the clue and the close-up picture, then lift the flap to see if you are right!

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

I feel Bums & Tums is more for the younger reader, it is a vibrant and wonderfully illustrated lift the flap book that introduces you to some wonderful animals - it was a great guessing game for the kids.

As a lover of all animals, my daughter especially loved Bums & Tums and loved pulling out each of the pages to see which animal was hiding behind it - she made a bit of a fun game out of it and enjoyed learning more about each of the animals.

The illustrations were detailed, I was quite impressed by the quality and talent.

Thank you to Hachette Australia for the opportunity to read and review Bums & Tums.

Biographical Notes 

Mandy Foot is a self-proclaimed animal nut and horse lover and works in a studio in the Adelaide Hills. Mandy's picture books for Lothian include the very popular Captain Kangaroo series and the bestsellers THE WHEELS ON THE BUS and OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM.

For free music and other fun downloads visit www.mandyfoot.com.au or follow her on twitter.com/mandy_foot

• Other details
  
  
• ISBN: 9780734415936
• Publication date: 31 Mar 2015
• Page count: 24