Cleo and Rob by Helen Brown

16 Apr 2021 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , ,

Published: 1st October 2019Goodreads badge
Publisher: A New Zealand
Illustrator: Phoebe Morris
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

A kitten called Cleo steps into six-year-old Rob’s life after his big brother, Sam, dies.

Based on true events in author Helen Brown’s family, this heart-warming story first appeared as a world-wide bestselling book for adults, Cleo.

I first came across this picture book not knowing about the adult book Cleo but it didn’t matter because Brown captures an emotional journey through beautiful words and Morris’ illustrations are the perfect balance that reflect the picture book format while never making light of the content.

This is a heartfelt story that is super sweet but quite sad as well. The exploration of brotherly relationships, family dynamics as well as the emotion impacts of loss and suffering make it a powerful read but one that speaks to both children and adults.

The way that Cleo and Rob come together after tragedy is so incredibly sweet and as the story goes on it shows how those moments from childhood have a long lasting effect on Rob’s life. Anything based on a true story is going to get me invested and emotional, especially if an animal is involved and this story was no exception. A truly beautiful read.

You can purchase Cleo and Rob via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon

The Easter Bunnyroo by Susannah Chambers

02 Apr 2021 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Australian Women Writers, The Picture Book Corner Tags: , , , , , , ,

Published: 1st June 2020Goodreads badge
Publisher: Allen and Unwin Children
Illustrator: Laura Wood
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

When Dad rescues Ruby the joey, Charlie begins to suspect she is really the Easter Bunny. After all:
Ruby has long ears and big feet.
Ruby is very good at jumping.
Ruby has a built-in basket for carrying Easter eggs.

Although, there could be a problem – how will Ruby know what to do? Luckily, Charlie can teach her what she needs to know. 

I found this story really cute and it is a perfect Easter story with an Australian twist. Charlie’s family rescue and care for native Australian wildlife and I loved the mix up when it’s thought that the real Easter bunny has come to their home. Charlie helps the “Easter bunny” with egg duties and teaches them how to do their important job. There are fun jokes with pop references throughout like Winnie the Roo and R2DRoo which were delightful and the mistaken identity antics are humorous and enjoyable.

Wood’s illustrations are full of bright colours but are not over the top or overbearing. The full page pictures capture the scene and help tell the story quite well. There are a lot of close ups and Wood draws the joey so there is a slight bunny resemblance which I thought was fabulously cheeky but it does still look like a roo and it’s fun how Charlie keeps getting them mixed up.

This is a cute story about finding things and hiding things as well as the celebration of Easter. I loved the Australian focus and Chambers has created a fun story about an understandable misunderstanding that brings the magic of Easter to life.

You can purchase The Easter Bunnyroo via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon Aust

Knock Three Times (#3) by Cressida Cowell

01 Apr 2021 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Audiobook, Fantasy, Junior Fiction Tags: , , , , , ,

Published: 17th September 2020 (print)/2nd June 2020 (audio) Goodreads badge
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books/Hodder Children’s Books
Pages: 384/ 6 hrs and 5 mins
Narrator: David Tennant
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Junior Fiction Fantasy
★   ★   ★   ★ – 4 Stars

Xar and Wish are heroes with a huge task ahead–confronting the Nuckalavee is not for the faint hearted. But with Magic and Iron together, they might just have a chance of saving their beloved homes from those who seek to destroy everything they hold dear. The third electrifying book in The Wizards of Once series fizzes with magic and introduces us to a host of glorious new characters: bears and piskies and magical pins and needles to name but a few.

There is something wonderful about Cowell’s stories. I love her writing and the language she uses, the way it’s telling us a story and the voice brings cheekiness and drama, but also a type of sorrow as well. The matter of fact approach to narration is an extra delight and it’s the combination of all of these types of writing that make this series so enjoyable.

Cowell balances the silly and the quirky with the serious and the dangerous. The world she has created flips from fun to dangerous easily and the suspense and tension over what is going to happen remains even while there are jokes flying about and quirky characters around.

I think this may be my favourite out of the three, there is so much going on and the humour and plot is on point and every character plays a role. There is adventure and revelations, fun times and sadness, and I adore how Cowell can make serious topics fit so beautifully in amongst a seemingly light hearted fantasy story.

There is a more in-depth look at both Sychorax and Encanzo and their relationship and histories, as well as the origin of the Wizard/Warrior feud. We also see a greater insight into the supporting characters that surround our two heroes. Their own stories get some attention and in doing so broadens our understanding of the world.

I know I say this every time, but David Tennant’s narration is once again pure and magical. He should be in charge of narrating all the books for the rest of time. Cowell’s writing is already fun and full of wit but Tennant’s delivery and inflection bring it off the page and it sucks you into the story so well.

As the penultimate book in the series Cowell is building up to a grand finale and with all that happens and is revealed in this book I can only imagine what is coming for the grand conclusion. This series is all about mischievous children, long standing feuds, curses, magic and adventure. It’s also filled with wit, charm, and sorrow making it a beautifully complex story about a complex world filled with complex characters and it’s an utter delight to read about.

You can purchase Knock Three Times via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

Twice Magic (#2) by Cressida Cowell

24 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Audiobook, Fantasy, Junior Fiction Tags: , , , , ,

Published: 20th September 2018 (print)/29th November 2018 (audio) Goodreads badge
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books/Hodder Children’s Books
Pages: 384/5 hrs and 36 mins
Narrator: David Tennant
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Junior Fiction Fantasy
★   ★   ★   ★ – 4 Stars

This was once the story of a young boy Wizard and a young girl Warrior who had been taught since birth to hate each other like poison.

But now, the boy Wizard and girl Warrior have been brought together in the Badwoods and they have witnessed the shocking consequences of the Stone That Takes Away Magic. They will need to cast aside their differences once more–for an Evil Spell has broken free.

It’s up to Xar and Wish to find the ingredients. But it means entering dangerous territory unannounced…

After the dramatic conclusion to the previous book, Xar and Wish must face the consequences of the actions in the previous book but also know they must get on with the next stage of their quest. I love the reality that while these two children can go on magical quests and face danger and uncertainty, they also still have to answer to their parents and do regular everyday things.

We are shown more backstory regarding the feud between the witches and the warriors and the complexity of the whole situation is only increased by Wish and Xar working together. I loved the extra details we’re given about how each society is run through Xar and Wish and their relationship with their parents. Cowell’s managed to create two characters who are trying to do the right thing, but through good intentions and poor decisions also cause chaos in their wake.

Cowell’s humour and her imagination are commendable once more and now with an understanding of these characters and the world it is easy to fall back into the story and continue on with the next stage of their journey. The new dangers, old dangers, mysteries and curses that follow them bring suspense and excitement and Cowell is very clever in balancing the level of danger with the humour as well as showing there are real consequences in this world despite it being a silly book. There are different types of baddies, some which pose greater threats than others, and we also see our little band of heroes grow in determination and confidence as they try and do the right thing.

As expected, Tennant as the unknown narrator is sublime. His different accents, his voice work for all the different characters is incredible and the singing! Who doesn’t love David singing in funny voices? With the audio experience there are also a range of sound effects and noises scattered throughout which add to the narrative. Bangs, crashes, and magical noises add a little something and are a reasonable substitute for missing out on the illustrations.

What I love about the unknown narrator is that they make little statements about the characters and their behaviours and it’s wonderful how they can point out how foolish the adults and being and it’s up to the children to do something to save the day while also acknowledging the same children can be foolish and reckless. It’s a fantastic balance that doesn’t idolise or demonise one side over another, something Cowell also shows in her writing remarkably well.

The glossary at the end tells you all about the words, creatures, and spells that have been introduced in the book and while the unknown narrator interrupts in their usual capacity with explanations throughout the story, I love that there is still a glossary which stops the main story from requiring any long explanations, especially since we’re to believe the characters are familiar with the world and thus only are unaware of new things they come across.

Once again with a conclusion that leaves you hanging Cowell makes you want to jump into the next book. As this story goes on more is revealed but more is also still unanswered. Knowing how Cowell can create a story of epic proportions from a deceptively simple story I am enthusiastic for what awaits in book three.

You can purchase Twice Magic via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

22 Mar 2021 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Audiobook, Australian Women Writers, Young Adult Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Published: 1 September 2014 (print)/ 9 May 2016 (audio) Goodreads badge
Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont /Bolinda Audio
Pages: 295/7 hrs and 55 mins
Narrator: Roshelle Fong
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Young Adult
★   ★   ★   ★ – 4 Stars

Alba loves her life just as it is. She loves living behind the bakery, and waking up in a cloud of sugar and cinnamon. She loves drawing comics and watching bad TV with her friends.

The only problem is she’s overlooked a few teeny details:

Like, the guy she thought long gone has unexpectedly reappeared.
And the boy who has been her best friend since forever has suddenly gone off the rails.
And even her latest comic-book creation is misbehaving.

Also, the world might be ending – which is proving to be awkward.

As Doomsday enthusiasts flock to idyllic Eden Valley, Alba’s life is thrown into chaos. Whatever happens next, it’s the end of the world as she knows it. But when it comes to figuring out her heart, Armageddon might turn out to be the least of her problems. 

I loved this book so much and yet writing this review has been so hard because I never feel like I am doing my complete love and adoration of this story the justice it deserves.

The story takes place during that timeless period over Christmas and New Year where you don’t know what day it is and there’s a strangeness in the air. Alba and all the characters are wonderful and I love how Keil has developed them and expressed them on the page. They felt so real, so alive, and the complexity of their emotions and their lives comes through even with the smallest of interactions.

There are so many little things I adored about this book: the atmosphere of the small town and the impending Doomsday, the exploration of friendships and growing up and making choices. There is no love triangle which was fantastic and there is a wonderful exploration about friendships and how old friends as kids don’t always mean friendships as adults. Keil demonstrates that sometimes these relationships can end up better, but at the same time you can also outgrow one another.

Alba not wanting to leave her small town is a nice change from the desperate need characters have to get out of their small town and never return. The sense of belonging and the attachment she has to her town is sweet and I loved that she enjoyed her home and the people in it. She doesn’t have a hatred towards it, but the understanding that you can’t really have the life you want staying where you are is a profound theme to explore.

As a character Alba is so wonderful. Her love of baking and being an artist was so wholesome and seeing her express herself through both her passions was refreshing and comforting. She is comfortable in herself and her bubbly and chatting nature was never a bad thing. She had such a depth to her personality it was amazing to see it revealed.

While there is a plotline of Doomsday and the end of the world on New Years Eve, the weirdness takes a backseat. There is a focus instead on Alba, Sarah and her friends, their journeys and their friendships take centre stage and I loved that their connections was what the story was about, the other stuff is all secondary.

Through the whole thing I felt so content. Reading it was such an enjoyable experience and it was so great to read an Australia YA that felt Australian without having reference after reference thrown in your face to really remind you it was set in Australia.

I could listen to this book over and over. There was such a loveliness to it but also so many details to get wonderfully lost in and with a slow but never stale plot I relished this journey with all these beautiful characters.

You can purchase The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl via the following

QBD | Booktopia | Book Depository

Dymocks | Wordery | Angus and Robinson

 Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible

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