Lost in a Good Book

Jack Jones: The Haunted Lighthouse (#2) by Zander Bingham

29 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Junior Fiction Tags: jack jones, junior fiction, three stars, zander bingham

Published: 18th September 2018
Publisher: Green Rhino Media
Pages: 102
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction/Adventure
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

Could the old lighthouse that Jack’s aunt bought to turn into a guesthouse actually be haunted? Mysterious figures in the windows…strange noises…flickering lights. Is this really the work of ghosts?

Join Jack Jones and crew as they investigate the ghostly events taking place during their stay at The Point Danger Lighthouse in this modern-classic adventure.

Note: I received a copy of this book for review

With a small holiday at a lighthouse offering a chance for excitement, the ghost stories have the kids intrigued but also a little wary. With more mystery than adventure this second Jack Jones book offers the kids a chance to be ghost hunters and detectives.

The trio are back with their enthusiasm to explore and have fun this time with an old lighthouse the locals believe is haunted. While I still enjoyed the story, and enjoyed seeing how the kids logically worked through problems, I think I enjoyed the adventure style of the previous book more than the mystery, it felt like there was something missing this time around. There didn’t feel like as much going on in this story. Whether this is because this was more mystery than adventure I’m not sure. Certainly there is less wonder and discovery, replaced with more modern and common issues like power failures.

Bingham adds in a few more characters this time, we see some of the local residents and their stories and experiences add to the narrative and makes them more rounded characters and pads out the story some more making it flow better.

There was still intrigue to find out the culprit to all the strange happening around the place, and with logical explanations or a Scooby Doo villain the only choices I was keen to find out more, either being welcomed. Bingham shows the kids bravery and determination to solve the mystery and while there is less danger present than before, it is also more relatable. The relatable fears and situations make the characters experience understandable, especially for younger readers, but Bingham makes sure to show that being scared doesn’t stop the trio from choosing to go on regardless.

The writing felt more natural but still in the same Bingham style; short sentences, explanations and simple language for easy reading and comprehension. This is one you can read alone but there is certainly a lot more backstory provided in the previous book; this story works well as the continuing adventures of Jack Jones and company.

You can purchase The Haunted Lighthouse via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Wordery | Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Publisher

Book Face Pacific Fair | Readings Kids

I Want to Be in A Book by Narelle Oliver

26 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Australian Women Writers, The Picture Book Corner Tags: #aww2018, australian women writers challenge, aww 18, aww 2018, children's picture book, narelle oliver, three stars

Published: 1st July 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Illustrator: Narelle Oliver
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

For most of his life, Cecil waited patiently on a pinboard, dreaming of being in a book, like all the other creatures he saw come and go. Cecil is only a sketch, but he has a name, and he wonders, if just maybe, he might be destined for greater things.

Cecil is the reader’s eyes as we see books created in front of us. Cecil’s imagination soars as he dreams of what book he might land in. And then one day, he does land in a book. And a new, exciting, and even dangerous, adventure begins.

There’s a lot to enjoy with this story. It’s clever, very meta about the author process where they might create a character but not have an idea yet where to put them. I liked Cecil’s awareness and the illustrations are great because it mixed the real with the drawn.

It wasn’t as good as I thought it might be story wise but it has appeal. It’s a different type of story, very creative and Cecil is a unique character who has dreams and aspirations which were fun to explore. Cecil makes the adventures sound fun and exciting and you can certainly picture the little sketch exploring Oliver’s desk and understand how there are numerous other drawings and stories to interact with.

I liked the contrast between the illustration styles. Aside from the photos, the “in progress” iguana interacting with finished drawings shows the process of illustration and how beginning sketches become completed illustrations. The pages are filled with notes and drawings and the collage style is creative and enhances the crowded desk notion.

Overall a good story, certainly a different type than I’d seen before and it shows that there are many different and unique ways to tell stories that play with formatting and structure and still be cohesive and entertaining.

You can purchase I Want to be in a Book! via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Fishpond

Angus and Robinson | Amazon Aust

Jack Jones: The Pirate Treasure by Zander Bingham

25 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Junior Fiction Tags: adventure, jack jones, junior fiction, zander bingham

Published: 20th September 2018
Publisher: Green Rhino Media
Pages: 103
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction/Adventure
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

When a message-in-a-bottle washes up on their local beach, Jack Jones, his sister Emma and best buddy Albert discover that it just might lead to a Spanish galleon ship that has been lost for centuries! Will Jack and his crew decode the clues left by pirates to reveal the hidden location of the ship? Can they succeed where many have failed? Or will they fall into one of the traps left behind by those trying to protect the ship, and the priceless treasure believed to be aboard?

Note: I received a copy of this book for review

At 103 pages this is a quick read but one that suits this kind of story. The focus is on the adventure rather than offering long and detailed back stories of characters or the environment. We are given a few details about each of the characters but not a lot of time is wasted on filling in unnecessary details. Bingham includes enough to fill plot holes and explain away lack of parental supervision but the majority of the character back story and description is kept brief. This was something I didn’t mind; I didn’t need all the extra information. There’s enough there to know the characters but the focus is moving plot along.

Even though this is short it’s filled with mystery and adventure that kids would love to get lost in. It combines the modern and the old and showcases what kids can achieve when they work together. The narrative is not complicated and it’s sprinkled with lessons and morals about being kind and helpful. There is adventure and danger but no enemies to defeat or violence to endure. There are challenges the characters face but with teamwork and the support of friends the trio are able to succeed.

The style of story could easily suit any age, it is very Treasure Island and having independent kids but still having them be responsible and knowledgeable offers good lessons too. I can easily see kids from even the age of six enjoying this kind of story, especially with the simple language and layout. The layout is basic, the story told in a collection of short paragraphs with large text. This formatting actually would lend itself to younger kids reading it as well as the chapters are short and the words simple to read. There are also detailed black and white illustrations throughout the book as well to help kids visualise the story. With the intention of having a book that helps transition kids into reading chapter books and more complicated stories, this is a great starting point. Even older kids who simply want a good adventure story will love this.

I am keen to see what other adventures this trio get up to. Having gotten used to the writing style, the innocent adventures are reminiscent of The Famous Five where it is about having experiences as friends and not about fighting villains or having overly complicated narratives.

You can purchase The Pirate Treasure via the following

Booktopia | Book Depository

Wordery | Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Publisher

Book Face Pacific Fair | Readings Kids

47 Degrees by Justin D’Ath

23 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Junior Fiction Tags: australia, australian, bushfires, four stars, junior fiction, justin d'ath

Published: 8th January 8th 2019
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Zeelie wonders if they’re in danger.

When temperatures soar to 47 degrees one hot summer day, 12-year-old Zeelie hopes the neraby bushfires everyone’s talking about aren’t heading towards her family’s new home. What will they do if the wind changes direction? What about their belongings and their beloved pets? And why hasn’t her mum and brother returned from Melbourne?
Nothing can prepare Zeelie for what’s to come.

I will be 100% honest and say I read the first quarter and then I was experiencing so much anxiety about this book I skimmed the rest of it, reading a few full pages here and there to get to the end. I could not handle this story. I’m trying to work out if now I know how it plays out I could go back and read it again but I’m not sure.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but it is so stressful to read. Whether it is because I’m Australian and have seen the damage fires have done I was imagining the worst anytime anyone got in a car, on a road, near a fire; it just set off Worst Case Scenarios in my head. But despite that, I thought it was such a wonderful way to discuss the events of what happened on Black Saturday and through the eyes of Zeelie who is at the cusp of childhood and being a teenager; she is growing up but still has trouble handling the scope of what is happening around her.

Having the experience through Zeelie’s eyes shows the rapid nature of fires, how quickly plans change and go awry. Black Saturday was Victoria’s worst fire and seeing the trouble Zeelie and her dad get into are important experiences to understand, even if this story is fictional, it rings true to so many real life situations that people have experienced. We get to see how other communities and families are affected and Zeelie’s own worries about her family that she can’t contact adds an extra level of suspense. These are all real situations though as phone lines and power limit communication, closed roads and no news can add to the already stressful situations. D’Ath never makes it too overly dramatic, but the realities are there – well, as much as they can be for a children’s book.

D’Ath captures Zeelie’s voice beautifully. I saw her naivety but her confusion, but also her bravery, and when she is asked to pack up things to take with them I understood the trouble she had in deciding what was important to take for people. Her character is the epitome of someone her age. She expresses her love for her family but also her frustration about her brother and their relationship. I understood her uncertainty when she has moments where she first starts to doubt her dad, doubt his decisions; that unwavering trust of childhood starting to falter as she witnesses the things around her. I think it gives great power in allowing a kid of Zeelie’s age show anger at her parents, and frustration at their decisions and her own lack of power in a lot of cases.

Let it be noted that all the dogs are ok by the end of it. I actually texted a friend who’d read it the second I thought it could go otherwise because I was not prepared to read that so you don’t have to worry about anything happening to them. There is other animal death but it is unseen or has limited detail.

One thing I found impressive was how D’Arth captures the experience of a bushfire in its entirety. From start to finish you see the early warnings, the evacuations, the road closures and the devastation. D’Arth makes sure not to leave it there as you also see the healing and the community support of this kind of disaster. Even if I didn’t already know, this story helps you understand how fast bushfires can start and spread, as well as the damage they can cause. I am glad I pushed through my anxiety to finish the story because it was good to see the full circle and Zeelie’s story is one that covers a lot of important situations and experiences.

You can purchase 47 Degrees via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust

Two Bad Teddies by Kilmeny Niland

19 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: children's picture book, four stars, kilmeny niland

Published: 27th October 2015
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Illustrator: Taeeun Yoo
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

Gruffy Ted and Tilly Ted loved Mollie-Sue. And Mollie-Sue loved her teddies. They did everything together. One day, a present arrived from Grandma. It was Bendy Bill. Mollie-Sue showed Gruffy and Tilly. “Isn’t he handsome? Look at his long stretchy arms,” she said. “And listen . . . ” She pressed Bendy Bill in the middle. “Oo-oo,” he squeaked.

“I don’t like his silly smile,” said Gruffy. “I don’t like his silly arms,” said Tilly.

“Mollie-Sue still loves us best,” said Gruffy.

Niland’s warm, affectionate story explores a theme familiar to all—sometimes we only get what we want when we stop trying so hard.

My favourite pair of teddies are back! After we left them in Two Tough Teddies I was surprised to find them again because I didn’t know there was a sequel.

Niland brings us back to the teddies to see how they are faring after the end of the last book and all is not well. With the arrival of a new toy, Gruffy Ted and Tilly Ted become jealous and start plotting on how they can rid the house of this intruder.

With a plot similar to Toy Story, the teddies try different ways to get Molly to stop loving the new toy, fearful that she will no longer love them.

The illustrations are as cute as before, the personalities of Gruffy and Tilly wonderfully explored through their faces and their behaviour. I liked that the new toy Bendy Bill doesn’t become animated, he remains silent and ever-staring. This makes the two teddies’ actions even funnier because Bill continues to stare out blankly.

This a great story about accepting changes and making new friends. It shows that love is shared and while there may be new things, it doesn’t push the old things aside, or make them any less loved.

If you have read the original book there are valid reasons why Gruffy and Tilly may worry they are no longer loved, but Niland doesn’t recap any of that, instead focuses on their jealousy.

I am glad I got to see the continuing adventures of the two tough teddies and as much as I enjoyed this one, it doesn’t quite tug at the heartstrings like the first book does.

You can purchase Two Bad Teddies via the following

QBD | Book Depository

Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust