JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

A Review of Three Gorgeous Picture Books

The Fastest Tortoise on the Block
Michael Gray, illustrated by Naya & Kostya Lazarev
October 2017
Picture book for 5-8 year olds
Little Steps Publishing

And they’re off! A boy and a tortoise become fast friends as they prepare for the biggest event in town – the monthly tortoise race. It’s not winning that counts, but that won’t stop this tortoise from being the fastest tortoise on the block!

The Fastest Tortoise on the Block by Michael Gray is a sweet story about a determined tortoise and his caring owner. The text is written in first person from the tortoise’s point of view; the tortoise mentions that lizards have been making fun of him because he travels slowly.

This picture book is a cute story for little kids, showing them that practice pays off and also not to listen to what others say about you.

“Sleek lizards darting to and fro,
Made fun of me for going slow.
They shrieked and spat and laughed with glee,
They pointed sneering tails at me.”

The illustration style of the book is beautiful, with soft, light colours on the page to give the book a real warmth. I can see this being an instant classic in some families.

The rhyming of the text makes reading it really fun, and the words that are used are simple and would be easy for a young kid to understand. I do think that there are too many words on the page though. Picture books usually have 4 lines per page, and yet in this book, there are sometimes two stanzas on each spread and I think it would get a bit too much for some readers.

I recommend this to parents who are looking for a lovely animal-related story to read to their kids. The story teaches a lot about practice and determination, but also having fun and learning to forget your worries and live for the moment.

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Who’s Got A Normal Family?
Belinda Nowell, illustrated by Misa Alexander
May 2016
Picture book for 3-6 year olds
Little Steps Publishing

‘Are we normal?’ he asked. Mum gave Alex her brightest smile. ‘Absolutely NOT … but why don’t we find out who is?’   A celebration of unique, thriving and fun families.  

Who’s Got a Normal Family? by Belinda Nowell is a fantastic picture book about different types of families and learning to accept that ‘different’ isn’t a bad thing.

Alex is a foster child and after his parents bring home a new baby — also a foster child — there’s a kid in Alex’s class who makes fun of him. Alex starts to think his family isn’t normal, and so he gets very upset.

But, he and his mother sit down and look at all the families of the other kids in Alex’s class, and they realise that lots of people don’t have the traditional, ‘normal’ family. Sometimes kids only have one parent, or no parents but a grandparent, or perhaps their parents are both of the same gender.

Who’s Got a Normal Family? is great for parents who want to explain to kids that all families and all relationships are different. This is also a fantastic book that parents can use to teach their kids not to bully others or make fun of others. Alex gets really upset in the book after he is teased, and so this book shows us that harsh words can really affect someone and that you shouldn’t say something if it isn’t nice.

“Suddenly Alex wasn’t so excited anymore because, just like Baby Emma, Alex was a foster child too.
Alex was normally the sort of boy who laughed his way from breakfast to dinner, but that afternoon he did not laugh at all. He even cried behind his hands when he thought no one was watching.”

The illustrations are beautiful, with clear drawings and lots of vibrant colours used. The text is also really fantastic; it’s minimal but it’s impactful and I really enjoyed this book.

I recommend this book to parents who are looking for a way to teach their kids about bullying and perhaps if their kids have questions about the different types of families that exist in the world.

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The Tuggies
Jose Saracho
Picture book for 3-6 year olds
Little Steps Publishing

Lucy is not a morning person. Not only because she loves her bed, but because she always wakes up with hair full of knots and tangles. Have you ever wondered why your hair gets knotty while you sleep? Lucy is on a mission to find out why!

The Tuggies by Jose Saracho is the perfect book for readers with long hair that knots really easily (like me!).

Lucy wakes up every morning with knotted, unkempt hair and she hates it! So, she stays awake to discover who is making her hair so knotty. Lucy discovers that while she is sleeping, the Tuggies (beautiful, colourful little creatures) have been visiting her and playing around in her hair.

The illustration style of this book is the strongest part of the package. The colours are gorgeous and the layout of the pages is eye-catching and I imagine it’d be really engaging for a child.

The text is also short and fun, and the text is sometimes situated all around the spread, and sometimes it’s bunched up together in a paragraph. This makes each page feel really different for the reader.

“On the top of her headboard she noticed some curious tiny creatures.
At first they were a little shy…
…until one of them decided to dive into Lucy’s hair.”

This book has a really surprising and hilarious ending, that I’m sure kids will love. This is a large hardback book and a really fun read. I recommend this especially to parents who have daughters with long hair. They’ll find the book funny. The illustrations are so beautiful that I can imagine girls will love flicking through the pages,

Thank you to the publisher for sending me these review copies in exchange for honest reviews.

Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony by Chris Riddell

Lord Goth is throwing a music festival at Ghastly-Gorm Hall, with performances from the finest composers in the land. Ada can’t wait, but it’s quite distracting when her grandmother is trying to find her father a fashionable new wife, there’s a faun living in her wardrobe and Maltravers is up to his old tricks. Ada must make sure everything goes to plan, and luckily help is at hand from a very interesting house guest . . .

Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony is the fourth adventure for Ada and her friends at Ghastly-Gorm Hall. This is also the final book in the Goth Girl series, filled with plenty of spooky adventures and musical goings-on.

“After breakfast, Ada and Emily went upstairs to the extra-long gallery, a high-ceilinged room that ran the length of the central part of Ghastly-Gorm Hall. On one side of the gallery, light came streaming in through the large windows, and on the other side was a stack of paintings in gold frames waiting to be hung on the wall above.”

One of the best things about this book is its package — it’s hardcover, silver foiled, and the edges of the pages are coated in bright green. The book is also quite small, like a handbook, so it is a quick, easy read. The book shines, and it’s so beautiful when you first see it. I can imagine kids seeing this in the bookstore and automatically reaching for it purely because of how gorgeous it looks. Additionally, Chris Riddell’s work is wondrous. He has a real art for sketches and writing witty, imaginative stories.

You don’t need to read the other Goth Girl books in order to understand this one — I actually didn’t realise this was the fourth book in the series and I was able to follow along really easily. This is a standalone story.

“The broken wing was Ada’s favourite part of the house. It was full of rooms with forgotten and unused things in them, and Ada loved exploring it whenever she had the time.”

What I love most about this book is that Chris uses his writing and his drawings to poke fun at real life. There are characters in the book based off Simon Cowell and Taylor Swift, and there’s an orange-faced man named Donald Ear-Trumpet who is a caricature of President Donald Trump:

‘I’ve come all the way from New Guernsey,’ said an orange-faced man. His elegant wife was sitting under an awning beside their streamlined wooden caravan and looked rather bored. They were both wearing gumboots.
‘The name’s Donald Ear-Trumpet,’ the man said. He had what looked like a raccoon-skin hat on his head and two sticks grasped in his tiny hands and was trying to light a fire by rubbing them together.

Chris Riddell appeals to readers of all ages — his books are whimsical and magical and they really engage the reader in their manic, mad-cap storylines and their colourful cast of characters. The book is elegantly produced, but also masterfully written.

This book is aimed at children aged 9-11, but adults will enjoy reading this just as much as kids. There are a lot of jokes in the book that children may not understand, but grown-ups definitely will. And this book has so many gorgeous illustrations that sometimes you want to take it slow so that you can really enjoy the whole experience of reading it.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony
Chris Riddell
October 2017
Pan Macmillan Australia

Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth

Tash has to follow many rules to survive in Tibet, a country occupied by Chinese soldiers. But when a man sets himself on fire in protest and soldiers seize Tash’s parents, she and her best friend Sam must break the rules. They are determined to escape Tibet – and seek the help of the Dalai Lama himself in India.

And so, with a backpack of Tash’s father’s mysterious papers and two trusty yaks by their side, their extraordinary journey across the mountains begins.

This is a wonderful debut novel from Jess Butterworth. Set against the backdrop of political turmoil in Tibet, Sam and Tash escape the mountains after Tash’s parents are arrested by the Chinese police. The kids are carrying a coded message from Tash’s father and the resistance, and they embark on a long, arduous journey to India in search of the Dalai Lama. Tash and Sam believe that the Dalai Lama will help Tash get his parents back.

“We move silently through the alleys, away from the patrol. My shoulders and neck ache from the weight. We pass the Yak stables. Eve sticks her head over the half-door. She watches me with her dark eyes and sniffs with her big nostrils. Her pupils are wide; she knows something is wrong. I wish I could take her with me.”

The book consists of extremely short chapters, which is perfect for kids who can’t read for too long without being distracted. There are decorative illustrations lining the pages and chapter title pages, which make it a beautiful children’s book for older middle grade readers.

“Have you had any more ideas about the code?’ I whisper to Sam.
He shakes his head.
‘Come and eat,’ says the younger man, ushering us back to the truck. I shove the letter back in my pocket.”

Jess’ prose is very choppy and abrupt, allowing the story to move forward at a fast pace and helping to keep the reader interested. It’s also very evocative writing. The sentences string together effortlessly and the dialogue is extremely realistic.

“The last row of soldiers passes and we lie and wait until they’re far enough away. I watch a spider rotating in its web from the vibrations.”

This is a children’s book that is both enjoyable and informative, allowing the reader insight into the political relations in Tibet and India. People might think this book could be a little heavy for young readers but I found it to be the opposite – Jess Butterworth has written a children’s novel where the topic is really accessible to readers. It doesn’t beat them over the head with it. At the end of the day, this is an adventure story. It may be about two children fleeing their homes in search of safety, but it’s also a tense, fast-paced adventure. And at times, there are a few mysteries involved that kids will love reading about and trying to decipher.

“I wonder just how many people are in the resistance and think about the different reasons they might have joined. I know I’m not the only one with parents in prison.”

This is a great book for kids who want adventure and journeys to read about, but also those kids who struggle to stay focused on a book and need something that doesn’t have overly long chapters. The writing is wonderful and so are the characters and the story. The beauty of the book is the simple way it tackles the topic. It certainly opened my eyes, and I imagine it would other readers as well.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Running on the Roof of the World
Jess Butterworth
June 2017
Hachette Book Publishers
Children’s Book for Ages 9-12

Lucy’s Book by Natalie Jane Prior and Cheryl Orsini

Lucy’s Book is an adorable picture book that captures that special connection between a child and their favourite book, as well as celebrating the way that sharing stories can bring people together.

This story takes place at first in a library. Lucy’s mum takes her to the library every Saturday and there’s one special book that Lucy borrows over and over again. She shares that book between friends – at school, dance class, in the neighbourhood – and she even takes it on holidays with her.

She adores reading the story again and again, and is devastated when she goes to the library one Saturday and the book is gone. It’s been borrowed so many times that it was worn out and had to be discarded.

Lucy’s Book is my love song to libraries and the printed word. It’s about the special relationship between a little girl, her friends, and her very favourite library book, the one she borrows over and over again. On another level, iIt’s also a story about the life of a library book.
-Natalie Jane Prior on Lucy’s Book

Natalie Jane Prior is one of Australia’s favourite writers for children, and Cheryl Orsini is a beautiful illustrator. She’s illustrated countless books, and her drawings in Lucy’s Book are divine. There is bright colours and lots of commotion. The drawings are vibrant and beautiful. The words weave with the illustrations seamlessly, providing a fun reading experience for both children and adults.

Lucy’s Book illustrates the love between a child and their favourite read, and it shows how sharing a favourite book can bring people together and bring a sense of community among friends. Children will love this book, as will parents, teachers, librarians and avid readers (no matter their age!). It’s a special story and not one that I’ve seen before.

Thank you to Hachette Publishers for sending me a review copy of this title.

Lucy’s Book
Natalie Jane Prior and Cheryl Orsini
March 2017
Hachette Book Publishers

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people in the distance.

But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different from his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences.

This is such a heartbreaking novel, not just for children but for adults. It captures perfectly the absurdity of the Nazi concentration camps, and the innocence that was lost.

The story moves forward quite quickly. Bruno and his family move to Poland because of his father’s new job, and he struggles to settle into his new life. His sister is cruel and it is quite obvious that she – unlike her brother – really does understand what Auschwitz is. Bruno feels isolated and learns to explore, and it is this that propels the story forward at a seemingly fast pace.

John Boyne has written this story through the eyes of a young child – Nazi Germany is seen through Bruno, who is trying to grow up within such a harsh and unrelenting time in history. He befriends a boy of the same age in the concentration camp next to his house, and the two become friends.

Their friendship is sweet – he brings food for his friend and they talk about trivial things. They learn to enjoy each other’s time, but throughout the entire novel, there’s a sense of dread. Somehow, you know that this story won’t end well and John Boyne achieves this by writing the main character as an extremely naive young boy. Bruno does not catch on to what Auschwitz really is, and does not understand why his new friend wears striped pajamas. Bruno does not really understand what his father’s job is, or why his friend is so skinny and doesn’t get fed.

This novel shows Nazi Germany in a subtle way because Bruno does not understand what he’s experiencing, therefore he does not dwell on it. Particular aspects of his life are described in short paragraphs because Bruno does not think them to be important, and it is this kind of storytelling that makes this novel so powerful and eye-opening.

My Score: 8/10
Buy at BOOKTOPIA or BOOKWORLD