JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Anorak Magazine: Vol 54 by Studio Anorak

Studio Anorak is an independent kids publishing house established in 2006. Studio Anorak publishes Anorak Magazine and DOT four times a year. Launched in 2006, it pioneered a new aesthetic and concept in children’s magazine publishing. 

Anorak Magazine, the ‘happy mag for kids’ is aimed at boys and girls aged between 6 and 12 years old. DOT is aimed at pre-schoolers.

Did you know that Oxter means armpit? Or that Troglodyte is a person who lives in caves?

Today I’m reviewing something a little different on the website — Anorak Magazine by Studio Anorak. This kids publishing house based in the United Kingdom produce colourful, entertaining and ethical magazines for children, all produced and printed on recycled paper with vegetable ink. Each issue of Anorak explores a different theme or topic.

The issue I received from Studio Anorak was volume 54 – The Imagination Issue.

Immediately striking, Anorak Magazine uses vibrant, bright colours to mesmerise your reading experience. Additionally, the book is filled with gorgeous illustrations to accompany each page spread. None of the content is dated, so it doesn’t matter what volume you order — children will love pouring over these pages.

“Do you know what we did this summer? We swam in a lake of ice cream…Don’t believe us? We did, we did! OK it was…in our heads. How did we do that? We used our IMAGINATION which is the most fun thing to do. In this issue, we take you on a journey around the weird and wonderful worlds that live within us. We explore why imagination is so brilliant, what we can do with it and what an imagined future might look like.”

Anorak appeals to self-sufficient, independent children who are looking for entertainment — perhaps a story, game, puzzle, quiz, interesting facts to discover, or just anything creative they can do to pass the time.

But Anorak is also ideal for a parent looking to keep their children occupied. Filled within this issue are a lengthy list of game and activity ideas, such as Catch & Read and Leaf Art and Home Olympics. There is even a recipe for Happy Patties, a tasty treat that parents can bake with their children — the recipe also includes vegetables as well, so it’s a healthy treat for those kids who avoid their greens.

Vocabulary in the magazine is encouraging and positive, motivating young minds to unleash their creativity and undergo a fun adventure within books.

“What is imagination? It is this unique gift we have to make things up, to create stories, characters, objects and adventures…it’s like having a screen in our heads playing tons of films all day (and night!) long.”

Recommended for young families, and perfect for the school holidays or that long Summer break when parents are looking for material to pique their child’s interest.

You can browse Studio Anorak’s collection here: https://anorakmagazine.com

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

Anorak Magazine Vol. 54: The Imagination Issue
Published 2020
Studio Anorak

The Ickabog by J.K Rowling

The Ickabog is coming… A mythical monster, a kingdom in peril, an adventure that will test two children’s bravery to the limit. Discover a brilliantly original fairy tale about the power of hope and friendship to triumph against all odds, from one of the world’s best storytellers.

The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustaches you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them.

Everything was perfect – except for the misty Marshlands to the north which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth, to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.

Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?

If you’re feeling brave, step into the pages of this book to find out…

An instant classic, J.K Rowling’s The Ickabog is a magical fairytale that will seduce young readers and keep them entertained this holiday period. The book is packaged beautifully — a gorgeous dust jacket hardcover and gold embossing, with vibrant, vivid illustrations and thick sleek paper inside. This is a cherished item for all readers’ bookshelves.

Admittedly, the story does delve into dark themes and plot points. It may start off light and easy — a foolish king, a mythical and fearsome creature that is rumoured to eat humans — but soon there’s betrayal, evil plots, countless murders and imprisonment. This shouldn’t deter young readers though. The story is fun and witty, enticing. The characters are all unique and readers young and old will be curious to follow the journey.

“Nobody would ever again say that he was selfish, vain, and cruel! For the sake of a smelly, simple old shepherd and his worthless old mongrel, he, King Fred the Fearless, was going to hunt the Ickabog!”

It wouldn’t be a children’s novel without some important messages woven into the story — lies can spiral out of control and are not worth the pain they inflict, lost loved ones are never truly gone and will always hold a place in your heart, and it’s important to trust your own instincts. It’s also a story about the importance of standing up against cruelty, greed and dictatorship, an conquering your fears.

Stylistically, J.K Rowling employs a couple of techniques to really invite the reader into the story. Firstly, she trickles in foresight about the future — she gives us an indication into whether the current events will have disastrous consequences, or perhaps fate is on a character’s side and things are about to improve.

Secondly, she breaks the fourth wall at times and talks directly to the reader, taking us on a tangent storyline but letting us know she’ll return to the original plot in a mere moment. These techniques make the reader feel like they’ve been let in on a secret — they’ve been welcomed into this world.

“We now return to Chouxville, where some important things are about to happen…What Bert didn’t realise was that the arrival of that mail coach was going to have some very important consequences, which would send him on a dangerous adventure. Let’s allow Bert to walk on without us for a moment or two, so I can tell you about the coach.”

A rather sweet and unique addition to the book, J.K Rowling has selected drawings from children all over the world and included them intermittently throughout the novel to add a bit more light to the story.

One slight flaw I had with the book – there are a lot of characters, especially within the first few chapters. I found myself getting quite confused with who they all were, and perhaps children might? Some re-reading may be necessary to initially grasp the story and the setting.

“When King Fred woke next morning and was informed that his Chief Advisor had retired at this critical moment in the country’s history, he was furious. It came as a great relief to know that Lord Spittleworth would be taking over, because Fred knew that Spittleworth understood the grave danger facing the kingdom.”

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

The Ickabog
J.K Rowling
November 2020
Hachette Book Publishers

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Strange things are happening in Nevermoor…

Morrigan Crow faces her most dangerous challenge yet in her latest Wundrous adventure. The highly anticipated third book in the award-winning Nevermoor series from one of Australia’s best selling and most loved authors.

Morrigan Crow and her friends have survived their first year as proud scholars of the elite Wundrous Society, helped bring down the nefarious Ghastly Market, and proven themselves loyal to Unit 919. Now Morrigan faces a new, exciting challenge: to master the mysterious Wretched Arts of the Accomplished Wundersmith, and control the power that threatens to consume her.

But a strange illness has taken hold of Nevermoor, turning its peaceable Wunimals into mindless, vicious unnimals on the hunt. As victims of the Hollowpox multiply, panic spreads. And with the city she loves in a state of fear, Morrigan quickly realises it is up to her to find a cure for the Hollowpox, even if it will put her – and the rest of Nevermoor – in more danger than ever before . . .

The third book in Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series, Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow is a highly anticipated read for children and adults alike.

When Morrigan and her friends return to The Wundrous Society, a devastating illness starts spreading through Nevermoor. No one knows where it came from, how it’s spreading so fast, or how to cure it. And every passing week, it’s claiming more and more victims…the plot feels eerily similar to the state of the world right now, that’s for sure.

Small note: I’m still not entirely sure what “The Hunt for Morrigan Crow” is referring to. The hunt for the cure? The hunt for the illness? Unsure. Quite odd.

“Today, though, they’d mostly been Jupiter-watching — partly for entertainment, and partly out of a genuine concern for his safety. He’d gone a bit mad on tinsel, carols and eggnog, and Jack was worried that his uncle’s Christmas spirit had risen to such dizzying heights that he just might…burst a valve, or something.”

The strengths in the book are similar to what I loved in the previous books — the quirky and loveable Jupiter North, the hilarious banter between Morrigan’s friends (but hardly ever Morrigan – she’s not a very funny character), and the unique world that is Nevermoor.

Morrigan is just as determined and independent in book three as she was in the previous two reads. Like a lot of children’s novels, she’s surrounded by adults who don’t seem to be overly transparent. She has insight into the dreaded Hollowpox but no one will listen to her, and she just wants to help. Morrigan takes it upon herself to uncover the truth about the illness, and work to stop it before it claims too many unsuspecting victims.

“One by one the group members were called on and ran eagerly to the front, where they showed off an eclectic, extraordinary range of skills. One plucked a shadow from the wall and draped himself in it like a cape of darkness. Another made a collection of three-dimensional, glowing, brightly coloured shapes seemingly from nothing, and sent them dancing through the air in formation.”

Admittedly, Hollowpox has me conflicted. On the one hand, it’s quick and witty, fun and energetic, with the same cast of familiar characters we’ve loved since book one. On the other hand, the plot in this book seems fairly slow and, I’ll dare admit, a little boring.

It felt like quite some time before the dreaded Hollowpox thread started weaving its way into the story, and even when it dominated the novel, I never really felt like it was as enthralling as I anticipated. Most of the characters infected with Hollowpox were characters we weren’t that close to, so I didn’t feel much of an emotional investment in their sudden ailment.

The plot also felt a little over the place. We weave in and out of the illness so much that the stakes didn’t feel heightened enough. Plus, a significant element of the book is Morrigan developing her powers but at quite a slow rate, so the magical and mythical elements feel a little diluted by the end.

Truthfully, I felt like Hollowpox fell flat compared with its two predecessors.

“A Red Alert Tricksy Lane meant high-danger trickery and likelihood of damage to person on entry. Morrigan had to make a choice: risk unknown danger down a Tricksy Lane, or the absolute certain danger that when her body tired out, she would be mauled by a vicious nine-foot bearwun with claws the size of pocketknives.”

I’m still going to keep reading the series. I’ve already read these first three books and I believe in the world that Jessica Townsend has created. Just hoping the plot of the next book is a little more enrapturing.

Recommended for readers aged 10+

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

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow
Jessica Townsend
October 2020
Hachette Book Publishers

Kitty is Not A Cat: Teddy’s Bear and Lights Out

A warmly funny junior-fiction series about Kitty, a little girl who believes she can be anything she dreams – even a cat. When Kitty arrives on the doorstep of a house full of music-mad felines, their lives are turned upside down as they attempt to teach her how to be human.

Some children hate going to bed. Not Kitty! Kitty falls asleep every night curled up snug as a bug in a bed box. That is, until one spooky night when Kitty’s night-light goes missing and her fear of the dark comes creeping out. The cats, unfamiliar with the concept, try to settle her down but to no avail. In the end, it won’t be a night-light that saves the day.

What could be better that a cuddly teddy bear? How about a real-life grizzly bear! Kitty and the bear spend a fun-filled afternoon together, but it doesn’t take long for Kitty to realise that having a grizzly bear for a playmate may be a little more trouble that she thought.

Teddy’s Bear and Lights Out are the first two books in a new children’s series by Australian author Jess Black. Kitty is not a Cat is a fun, entertaining junior fiction series about a young girl who moves in with a family of stray cats in a rundown old mansion.

In Teddy’s Bear, Kitty’s new family decide to bring home a grizzly bear to keep Kitty company during the winter months. The disgruntled bear wreaks havoc across the house and is quite an unnatural fit in the family dynamic.

In Lights Out, Kitty’s fear of the dark results in the cats coming up with strategies to help her overcome her terror. Many readers will be able to relate to Kitty’s fear of the dark.

“Mr Clean slowly stepped forward. He was a dirty tabby cat, so filthy that nobody — not even Kitty — knew the real colour of his fur under the layers of dirt…Petal and Kitty strained to see what Mr Clean was holding. To Kitty, it looked like it just might be a real teddy bear.”

Humour is littered throughout both stories, as well as heart and hope. The characters form a very dysfunctional family, but Kitty feels most at home when she’s with the cats. Both of these books will teach children the importance of family, self-belief and acceptance, but they’re also incredibly fun and engaging books that young readers will devour.

Visually, the books are a great balance of prose, dialogue and illustrations. The illustrations have been crafted digitally, with a kind of cartoonish feel to them. There’s a lot of orange to make the grey and black artistic elements really pop for the reader. Some of the words or sentences are singled out for illustrations as well — big, loopy, colourful letters that add a nice touch to the story.

“Kitty pulled a face. She wasn’t so sure, but she got back into her bed box anyway. The cats took turns to kiss her goodnight…Left alone in the dark, Kitty squinted around the room fearfully and buried herself under the covers.”

These books are perfect for young readers just starting out in junior fiction. They’re not overly long, and the plots are fairly simplistic, but readers will resonate particularly with the premise of Lights Out, and the illustrations will aid the reader in forging a path through the book. The audience feels like it sways more towards a female readership.

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

Kitty is Not a Cat: Teddy’s Bear & Lights Out
Jess Black
August 2020
Hachette Book Publishers

Two new reads from Ethicool Books

Charlie lives in the city, surrounded by roads and skyscrapers. But when his dad turns out his night light, something amazing begins to happen… 

Charlie’s whisked off on an incredible journey, where vines overtake the tall buildings he knows so well, and a lush river flows underneath his feet. Guided by a wise old owl, Charlie gets well acquainted with the animals, forests and oceans that preceded him, and how they gently lived at one with nature. 

Charlie loves his Rainforest and Ocean Classrooms – and he soon brings his friends along for the ride! 

This wild and adventurous children’s book will help your little ones appreciate that it isn’t just dinosaurs that go extinct. If you’re a nature or animal lover, this one’s for you.

Stuart French’s My Rainforest Classroom is an adventurous children’s picture book about animal extinction — a beautiful, heartwarming story about children, animals, mother nature, and the importance of understanding the beauty of what’s around you.

Today’s review is for two picture books from Ethicool Books, an Australian publishing company that publishes children’s books about some of the world’s biggest issues, such as climate change, pollution, bullying and anxiety.

The Ethicool catalogue follows a very distinct look — bright, lively illustrations with distinct shapes and figures, and excitable young faces. My Rainforest Classroom explores animal extinction, teaching children the importance of preserving animal life and not constricting animals in cages or tanks.

Messages aside, My Rainforest Classroom is a fun, adventurous tale for kids. It feels ‘otherworldy’ because the illustrations take us on a journey that spans forests and oceans. Kids will find themselves immersed in the storyline, the characters, and the pastel artwork.

My Rainforest Classroom
Stuart French
Ethicool Books

***

Join Ella and her sister, Ava, as they discover the joy of caring for a marine creature. Yet it isn’t all joy, as the sisters soon learn. Their beloved fish appear to thrive in only one type of environment … but why are both fish getting bigger? 

This light-hearted and genuinely surprising book will keep you and your little ones on their toes until the very end! Designed to be both humorous and moving, it also teaches an important lesson about personal responsibility.

Whilst it feels like there’s a lot of text on the pages of both these books, the storylines span big topics that need text to convey.

Ella and the Exploding Fish explores the importance of keeping oceans clean from rubbish. There are many things that marine life are not meant to eat, and yet they make their way into our waterways.

I’ll admit, the ending to this picture book took me a little by surprise and I wonder how a child would respond, but it does its job of shocking the reader. It opens up a discussion with children about why shouldn’t litter or toss anything in waterways that isn’t meant to be there.

These two books allow for a seamless, accessible way to discuss these issues with children — sceptics will think that children don’t need these books, but in a world where children are becoming more socially aware and conscious of what’s going on in the world, we can’t afford not to have books like these available to young minds.

Check out the rest of their books at https://ethicoolbooks.com.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me review copies in exchange for an honest review.

Ella and the Exploding Fish
Teigan Margetts
Ethicool Books