Book Review: Talent Quest: Smarty Pup 4 by Anh Do

 Talent Quest: Smarty Pup 4

by

Anh Do

illustrated by Anton Emdin

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Children's

Publication date: 30th April 2024

Series: Smarty Pup (Pawsome Genius) #4

Genre: Illustrated chapter book

Pages: 200

RRP: $16.99AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: Talent Quest: Smarty Pup #4

JJ the genius pup is back again with book 4, Talent Quest!

 

If, like me, you are new to Smarty Pup there is an intro explaining how JJ got to be so smart and be able to talk.

 

Dad's birthday is coming up and Lily and JJ don't have any money to buy him a present.

The perfect opportunity presents itself via the school talent quest which has a cash prize.

Lily and JJ sign up for the singing category. The only problem is JJ CAN NOT SING!

 

Lots of fun ensues while JJ learns to sing and costumes are selected. They almost miss the big day when JJ has an emergency dental appointment.

 

Filled with bright colourful illustrations and words that pop from the page,Talent Quest is sure to delight children and adults alike. JJ keeps delivering the dad jokes one after the other which had Jay laughing and saying "enough dad jokes."

 

This is such a fun story and I love that the Smarty Pup series has full stories with a conclusion, which is great for younger readers who may not understand the concept of a story continuing in the next book. At 200 pages it is a good size for older children to fully immerse themselves in.

Talent Quest is a story about trying your best and working with what you have.

 

This was lots of fun to read together and it kept Jay entertained and eager to know what was going to happen next. 

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommended age: 6 - 10 years

 

Book Review: Kip of the Mountain by Emma Gourlay

Kip of the Mountain

by

Emma Gourlay

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 1st October 2023

Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy

Pages: 256

RRP: $24.99AU (hardcover)

Source: Own purchase

 

Review: Kip of the Mountain

I purchased this book for Dot hoping to entice her into the Middle Grade Fantasy genre however I was so disappointed with the delivery of the plot it never did make it into her hands.

Firstly the book is set in 1985 in Cape Town, South Africa. A time when apartheid was prevalent but this is not fully explored, just mentions of signs on the beach and a boy injured after using the wrong water fountain. A 2020's middle grade reader needs more explanation than vague mentions. 

Eleven-year-old Kip lives with her eccentric father and is bullied at school by students and the teacher. On her 12th birthday a bottle drops from the sky and it contains an egg which hatches into a small furry animal and Kip is happy she now has a best friend. When Buffel is kidnapped she must face all her fears to rescue him.

The problems I had with this book were that the humour was a bit ludicrous, the conversations felt unnatural and the racism was never fully explained.

What I did love was Kip, she was strong and resilient. She didn't let the bullies worry her and didn't let her father's distant behaviour affect her. 

The story dragged a bit but I have to say the cover is beautiful and that's what initially drew me to the book.

My rating 2 / 5  ⭐⭐

Recommended age 8+ years

 

Book Review: The Apprentice Witnesser by Bren MacDibble

 The Apprentice Witnesser

by

Bren MacDibble

Award-winning author of How to Bee and Across the Sea

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 30th April 2024

Genre: Middle Grade / Teen

Pages: 256

RRP: $17.99AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: The Apprentice Witnesser

The Apprentice Witnesser is set in a post-apocalyptic world. A sickness is sweeping the land however the people have learnt how to live and adapt to keep themselves safe.

 

Twelve-year-old Basti is the apprentice of Lodyma Darsey, a storyteller and witnesser of miracles. Basti and Lodyma have both lost their families and come together in a work / familial relationship.

 

Bren MacDibble has created a post pandemic world where there is a sense of self-care and communities working together to minimise further risk.

 

The Apprentice Witnesser is a story that lets children and teens see that there can still be a beautiful and meaningful life after a catastrophic event. Humans are resilient and can change and adapt to the environment around them.

 

What I loved about this story is that it shows how everyone can work together for a more natural, sustainable world and that miracles can be found in all number of places.

 

The Apprentice Witnesser is a story rich in wonder, intrigue, hope and resilience.

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Content: death of mother

 

Publisher recommended age: 9 -13 years

My recommended age 11+ years (I find I'm always a little on the cautious side with recommendations)

 

 

Book Review: Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough

 Into the Mouth of the Wolf

by

Erin Gough

Publisher: Hardie Grant Children's

Publication date: 1st May 2024

Genre: Young Adult / LGBT

Pages: 384

RRP: $ 22.99AU

Source: Publisher

 

Review: Into the Mouth of the Wolf

Into the Mouth of the Wolf is set in a dystopian world where earthquakes are happening all over Sydney and people are escaping the  city.

Rohan Moretti has evidence that a big corporation is putting profit over safety. Rohan and 17 year-old daughter Iris are now being pursued. They must be silenced!

Lena is feeling isolated by her sexuality, she hasn't met anyone like her. When she meets Iris online there is an immediate spark and as they get to know each other an affection grows. Iris desperately needs to escape her pursuers and Lena promises to help.

I raced through this story. It is a fast paced mystery read with a whole host of likeable strong teens who face moral issues head on. There is plenty of drama to keep the reader invested.

Into the Mouth of the Wolf is part thriller, part climate fiction with a side of romance.

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommended age 12+

Book Review: Fledgewitch by Lian Tanner

Fledgewitch

A Dragons of Hallow book

by

Lian Tanner

Illustrated by Martina Heiduczek

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 3rd April 2024

Series: Dragons of Hallow #2

Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy

Pages: 352

RRP: $17.99AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: Fledgewitch: A Dragons of Hallow book

I am so glad I read Spellhound first. Although it isn't really necessary. If you have a copy of Fledgewitch and can't wait to read it there is some backstory. So jump right in!!

 

" Here are the Three Laws of Quill, carved in stone outside every town hall, and learnt by every schoolchild:
There shall be No Witches.
There shall be No Dragons.
There shall be NO SECRETS."

 

Our narrator from Spellhound is back with another enchanting tale filled with even more danger, magic and super cute characters than the first book. If that's even possible.

 

The book opens in the mountains of Quill with Brim living with her mum, dad and brother. She is taken away accused of being a fledgewitch and her parents are told she needs to be cured. Brim is sure she is not a witch, even if she has feathers growing from her elbows.

 

A young horned-glob named Snort (like a little calf) jumps in the car with Brim. Horned-globs are easily forgotten so Snort has no trouble venturing around as no-one remembers him. He wants to find the dragon, although he is terribly scared of them, to save his family.

 

This is another fast-paced immersive read. Brim and Snort are the cutest characters, they shake with fear but are courageous when the time comes.

Fledgewitch is a delightful tale of friendship, never giving up and using your powers for good.

 

Brim has her magic power in knitting. I loved this and wouldn't it be wonderful if it encouraged some children to try knitting themselves.

 

Bumbling laugh-out-loud villains and lots of jaw-dropping twists, which is something Lian does so well. I never see them coming.

Fledgewitch is a delightful story of family, love and working together. Championing commonsense, determination and perseverance.

 

My rating 5 / 5 🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮

 

Publisher recommended age 7 - 11 years 

My review of Spellhound

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Spellhound by Lian Tanner

Spellhound

A Dragons of Hallow book 

by

Lian Tanner

Illustrated by Sally Soweol Han

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 4th April 2023

Series: Dragons of Hallow #1

Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy

Pages: 351

RRP: $17.99AU (paperback)

Source: own purchase

Review: Spellhound: A Dragons of Hallow book

"In a quiet corner of Hallow, far from cities and towns, roads and railways, walls and witches, there lived a family of Spellounds.

Of course you have never heard of Spellhounds. They are one of the Three Great Secrets of Hallow, a country that loves secrets almost as much as it loves green jellybabies."

Spellhound is a truly adorable and fun story that will be loved by children and adults alike. Delightfully narrated bringing the reader right into the story.

 

Flaxseed (Flax) is a minch-wiggin, a tiny tree-dwelling creature. She has grown up knowing she is 'the one' destined to save Minchfold from the dragon. Flax is a wonderful character, she is scared and doesn't want to be the one to save everyone. Luckily they hadn't seen a dragon for 100 years. Then she meets a Spellhound pup who says his parents were taken by a dragon and Flax knows she must help him find them. It's her destiny. When the time comes she shows great courage and intelligence. 

 

Spellhound is filled to the brim with adventure, danger and ever so endearing characters. This is a fast-paced novel that I am certain middle-graders will find hard to put down. Short chapters and cliff-hangers make this an engaging read.

There is a crossover into the human world of Harrow when Felicia, the 10 year-old Queen of Harrow, is introduced to the mix as she goes searching for the puppy she could hear crying in the night. The young trio must draw on all their courage to confront the dragon.

 

A giant magical pup, a tiny tree-dwelling animal, a 10 year-old girl and a talking sword take centre stage in this fantastical adventure story with danger at every turn, jaw-dropping twists, magic wielding enemies, nonstop humour and boundless friendship. 

My rating 5/ 5 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶

 

 

 

Book Review: The Witches Council: Lily Halfmoon by Xavier Bonet

 The Witches Council: Lily Halfmoon #2

by

Xavier Bonet

translated by Marie Trinchant 

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 3rd April 2024

Series: Lily Halfmoon #2

Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy

Pages: 80

RRP: $ 17.99AU (softcover)

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: The Witches Council

The Witches Council is the fabulous second book in Xavier Bonet's Lily Halfmoon series.

In book one Lily finds out she is a witch and learns all about the Royal Library of Magic, all the different gems and magical spells.

 

In The Witches Council we are back with Lily and her friends GiGi and Mai for the biggest day of the year when witches all over the world get together to introduce their gems and guardians and learn new skills.

 

Lily is faced with a moral dilemma when she has choices to make about her future. This is also a story about the power of empathy and understanding how others feel.

 

The Witches Council is a fun and bewitching graphic novel with bright, eye-catching illustrations with journal pages, symbols and charts. There is plenty to pore over and readers will find new things as the book is re-read over and over again.

 

This is an enchanting book that is sure to delight the middle-grade fantasy enthusiast.

My rating 5/ 5 🪄🪄🪄🪄🪄