Book Review: Breaking Pointe by Chenée Marrapodi

 Breaking Pointe

by

Chenée Marrapodi

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Genre: Tween 10 - 14 years

Pages: 288

RRP: AU$17.99 (paperback) 

Source: courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Breaking Pointe

Breaking Pointe is an inspiring story about friendship, dancing and holding onto your dream.

 

Breaking Pointe is the second book by Chenee Marrapodi featuring the students of the Perth Ballet Academy. The first book is titled One Wrong Turn.

 

Valentina is worried that her parents can't afford the dance fees and she may have to give up her dream.

 

Amelia is not coping, she is tired and can't seem to focus. When she collapses and is rushed to hospital a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis shatters her world. Will she have to give up dancing?

 

Marrapodi includes themes of cultural differences, the pressure of elite dancing and the complexity of friendships when they are in competition against each other.

 

I loved that Chenee Marrapodi portrays the type1 diagnosis so accurately. From the point of view of Amelia who felt like it was a life ending diagnosis to the point of view of her parents who fretted, panicked and over reacted. Having an adult child with T1 I could relate to it all.

 

Breaking Pointe is an invaluable resource, not only for children who have been diagnosed with T1 but also their friends and teachers.

 

Breaking Pointe is a story that teaches empathy and understanding about cultural differences and living with a chronic condition.  

 

Breaking Pointe will be particularly enjoyed by girls and boys who love to dance. 

My rating 4 / 5 🩰🩰🩰🩰

 

 

Book Review: Hide and Seek (Wolf Girl #11) by Anh Do

 Hide and Seek: Wolf Girl 11

by

Anh Do

illustrated by Lachlan Creagh

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin 

Imprint: A & U Children's

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Genre: Middle Grade

Pages: 240

RRP: AU$16.99 (paperback) 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek is the eleventh installment in Anh Do's smash-hit Wolf Girl series.

 

Gwen and her canine friends escape Moon City but the Braxans are not too far behind them. With the help of friends they manage to evade the soldiers and hide in an abandoned shopping centre. But they soon find out they are not alone!!

 

Hide and Seek is another action packed addition to the Wolf Girl series. There are no boring bits in this story, it's action galore!

There is lots of danger and also lots of fun as an assortment of tricks and traps are set up to thwart the evil Braxan soldiers. Wolf Girl's canine friends add plenty of humour with their doggie banter and funny antics.

 

Extensively illustrated throughout, with half and full page black and white sketches, which add an extra element of comprehension to the story.

 

The search for her parents continues as Gwen and her canine friends move on to a new adventure. 

 

Wolf Girl is a series that needs to be read in order as it is an ongoing story and there is no backstory included.

 

My rating 5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Recommended age 8 -12 years 

 

Other books by Anh Do I've reviewed:

 

Brave the Storm: Skydragon #4 

Firestorm: Skydragon #7 

Sink or Swim: Wolf Girl #9

Talent Quest (Smarty Pup #4)  

The Race is On: Wolf Girl #10 

Book Review: My DAD is the BEST! by Nic McPickle

 My DAD is the BEST!

by

Nic McPickle

illustrated by Tommy Doyle

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Imprint: Albert Street Books

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Pages: 32

RRP: AU$19.99 (hardcover) 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

Review: My DAD is the BEST!

Every child thinks their dad is 'the best dad ever' and it's no different for this cute collection of animals as they tell us why their dad is the best of all.

Filled with funny little dadisms that every child, and parent, will relate to.

"He tells bad jokes, and sings old songs."

"Is it just my dad? Or is it other dads too?"

My DAD is the BEST! will make adults laugh as they read out things they say themselves.

Little koala goes on to tell all the wonderful things his dad does for him.

This humorous and heartwarming picture book is a must read for this Father's Day. Children will love all the little animals and their dads too.

Delightfully illustrated by Tommy Doyle with big, bright and happy illustrations.

My DAD is the BEST! is a tribute to dads of all shapes, sizes and species.

My rating 5 / 5 👨👨👨👨👨 

Recommended age: 3 - 6 years 

 

Book Review: A Sausage Went for a Walk by Ellisha Majid

 A Sausage Went for a Walk

by

Ellisha Majid

illustrated by Peter Kendall

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Genre: Picture Book

Pages: 32

RRP: AU$19.99 (hardcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: A Sausage Went for a Walk

This special 30th Anniversary hardcover edition celebrates an Aussie classic first published in 1992.

 

A Sausage Went for a Walk is a funny little story about a sausage who decides it doesn't want to be eaten for breakfast so walks out. Then all the other breakfast items walk out too.

 

A breakfast time mutiny led by a sausage! 

 

Jay enjoyed this. It's a nice easy read that older children can read themselves. Filled with fun and mischief as each item on the plate decides one by one that they are leaving.

And I loved that toast didn't leave butter and jam behind.

 

Vividly illustrated in comic form by Peter Kendall bringing each food item to life.

 

A Sausage Went for a Walk is a humorous classic, picture storybook reprinted for a new generation of children to enjoy. 

 

My only very small problem with this was the rhythm and flow of the words took me a couple of readings to get the hang of. 

 

My rating 4 / 5 🍽🍽🍽🍽 

Recommended age 2 - 6 years

 

 

 

Book Review: Blink and Glow by Raven Howell

 Blink and Glow

by

Raven Howell

illustrated by Ann Pilicer

Publisher: Tielmour Press

Publication date: 15th July 2024

Genre: Children's picture book

Pages: 36

Price: AU$11.74 (Kindle)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via WOW Blog tour

 

Review: Blink and Glow

Leo and Lilly love to chase fireflies and spend time at the pond. Leo catches a firefly in a jar to take to school. Lilly catches a salamander. As their lights begin to fade both Leo and Lilly soon learn that nature is more beautiful when it is free.

 

Blink and Glow is a delightful children's picture book that is fun to read and also teaches the importance of respecting and caring for nature.

Bugs and insects may be pretty but they need to stay in their natural environment to lead a happy life.

 

After the children free the salamander and firefly Grandma shows them how to make a craft salamander and firefly sun catcher.

This book also has all the details so you can do the crafts with your children.

 

With beautiful double page colour illustrations and only a couple of sentences to each page Blink and Glow is the perfect bedtime read. 

 

My rating 5 / 5 🦎🦎🦎🦎🦎

Recommended age: 3+ years 

 

 

Book Review: The Vanishing by Mark Greenwood

 The Vanishing

by

Mark Greenwood

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Series: History Hunter

Genre: Middle Grade / Non Fiction 

Pages: 112

RRP: AU$14.99 US$9.95 (softcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: The Vanishing

The Vanishing is one of four books written by Mark Greenwood for the History Hunters series.

 

The Vanishing delves into the 1978 unsolved disappearance of a pilot whilst flying across the Bass Strait.

 

Mark Greenwood recounts the disappearance of 20 year old pilot Fred and his plane after radioing the control tower about seeing a UFO. After extensive air and sea searches no sign of the plane has been found.

 

Greenwood sets out the facts and includes Fred's radio conversation, photographs, newspaper articles and the submitted flight plan.

 

It's up to the reader to decide what could have happened in this cold case disappearance.

 

If your child is fascinated by all things extra-terrestrial they will love The Vanishing! 

Fascinating and a little bit eerie.

 

My rating 5 / 5 👽👽👽👽👽

Recommended age: 8 -12 years

 

Teaching notes and activities can be found at Fremantle Press:

 https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/the-vanishing/

Book Review: The Dragon's Treasure by Mark Greenwood

The Dragon's Treasure

by

Mark Greenwood

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

Series: History Hunter

Genre: Middle Grade / Non Fiction

Pages: 112

RRP: AU$14.99 US$9.95 (softcover)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: The Dragon's Treasure

In his wonderful new history hunter series Mark Greenwood brings the stories of lost explorers, glittering treasure and baffling mysteries to life. Awe filled stories to entice young readers to explore the unimaginable.

 

History Hunters is a four book series with books 1 & 2 out now.

The Dragon's Treasure opens in 1931 Australia when two young boys find ancient coins on a Western Australian beach. However it started long before this with a shipwreck off the coast of WA in 1656.

 

Mark Greenwood recounts the story of the shipwreck and the subsequent search for the ship and survivors but nothing was found. It wasn't until 1963 when divers found the wreck of the Gilt Dragon and it's sunken treasure. To this day no-one knows what became of the survivors.

 

Wonderfully written with the inclusion of photos, illustrations and maps it will ignite the imagination of young readers and hold their attention through the whole story.

The Dragon's Treasure is a fascinating story that will have junior readers searching for more information on the Gilt Dragon and its treasures.

My rating 5 / 5 🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙

Recommended age: 8 -12 years

Teaching notes and activities can be found at Fremantle Press:

https://fremantlepress.com.au/books/the-dragons-treasure/