As I began reading these three books, I couldn’t help but see that they all had something in common. These three authors all come up with some awesome names for their characters, most of them way out and on the funny side. Their stories are whimsical and full of imagination, and they impress their readers, even the older ones like me.
So, I decided to share with you books about Nits, Garg the Barbarian and a daydreamer name Chegwin and include them in my Quick Three reviews.
Nit Boy by Tristan Bancks
Illustrated by Heath McKenzie
Published by Penguin Random House
Date: 2 July 2020
R.R.P. $14.99
What can I say about Nit Boy…it made me laugh and itch a lot, I mean A LOT! I was convinced Ned or some of his relatives had made a home in my hair. Again, Tristan Bancks has created a book that has us laughing and perhaps crying a little too. He will have his readers engrossed in these two books in one as they are taken on epic adventures by a boy and his nit.
Lewis Snow has the worse case of nits you have ever seen, and he is devoted to them. Everyone, especially his mum, wants to shave his head, but Lewis is smart and creative and does whatever it takes to avoid it. Living in Lewis’s hair is Ned, who’s not only the first-ever jumping nit whose expected to take over the world, he’s also a vegan and hates how human blood tastes.
There are little treasures throughout the book – illustrations and a nit quiz between the two books. It’s also easily readable even though it’s a good size. The chapters are short, which will help the struggling reader feel like finishing the book is achievable. If this book doesn’t get your young reader itching and laughing, perhaps they have their own ‘Ned’ they are protecting!
Toffle Towers: Order in the Court by Tim Harris
Illustrated by James Foley
Published by Penguin Random House
Date: 4 August 2020
R.R.P. $14.99
This is another book that will make your young reader laugh until their sides hurt. If you have read the other two books in the series, you will know that Toffle Towers is full of quirky characters and mysteries to be solved. There is so much to love about this book apart from the actual story. It is books like this one that considers all readers, the confident ones and those that struggle with the book being made up of a mixture of text, speech bubbles, the odd email, a cartoon style page, illustrations and some breakout boxes. While it may seem a lot for one book, it is perfectly formed to create variety in your child’s reading and adds to the overall ambience of the story.
If you are yet to read any of Tim’s books, the Toffle Towers is a fun one to start with followed by his hilariously funny Mr Bambuckles series.
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure by Jeff Kinney
Published by Puffin/Penguin Random House
Date: 4 August 2020
R.R.P. $14.99
Jeff Kinney (with the help of Greg Heffley), has managed again to delight us with the use of his imagination to share with us a story of hilarity and mayhem that we have come to love and know him for. The instant I picked up this book, I knew it was one young readers around the age of 8-12 would instantly take a shine too with its bright orange cover that promises fun within.
Rowley (with the help of Greg) pens his own story about Roland the Kind and his best friend Garg the Barbarian (Does this sound familiar?). They leave the village on a quest to rescue Roland’s mother from the white warlock…adventure ensues, and we are left wondering throughout whether our heroes will survive!
Like all of Jeff’s book, this one will captivate and audience of reluctant readers and those that love the Wimpy Kids series. The illustrations are just as valuable as the text and are quite funny to look through; either way, readers will be filled with laughter and glued to Rowley’s awesome adventures.
Thank you Penguin Random House and Puffin for the opprotunity to read and honestly review these books.
Little Big Reads 