It has taken sometime but I am back to talk about the wonderful BookTrust program Letterbox and the Purple pack they sent me. I loved it when I received it and I love it still now, I think it has a whole heap of items that extend the reading and learning experience, but its best quality is that it is FUN!
I love this book, and was very excited to read this to one of my baby storytime groups just recently where it was well received by all. In fact, the babies were so attentive to the book and I had never seen anything like it before for such an age group.
I love that Elizabeth does the occasional review for us, and I am very glad that I gave her this book to review because the message that came out of it is beautiful and on point for tween girls and boys.
Congratulations to Johanna Bell and Dion Beasley on their win in the category Book of the Year: Early Childhood. I can see why this won in its category, the story is impacting and the illustrations are on a whole other level, their childlike nature is mesmerising. The pictures give me a real sense of Canteen Creek and those cheeky animals.
Munro is a teenage boy struggling to come to terms with the death of his sister Evie, who had always dreamed of going to Australia. Munro is plagued by the coyote (a tormenting voice in his head), pain, flashbacks, and anger and feels that if he can fulfill Evie's wish and go to Australia as an exchange student that everything will be ok.
What I find incredible and something that is easily overlooked because my own childhood was filled with books and reading, is that for some children who are part of this program may have never owned their own book before.
How does anyone describe Ivy Pocket? Most people think she is quirky, despite being 12 she has the spirit of an old women, she's exasperating, constantly doing things that she doesn't realise she is doing, she is unaware of the baddies around her and people are constantly requesting that their home addresses are not revealed to Ivy. I find Ivy Pocket to be a bit of a train wreck, but inadvertently funny, endearing, imaginative and most importantly a heroine who like to share tall tales while unknowingly getting the job done.
I know I say this about so many books that I read BUT I really really really love these first 4 books in the D-Bot Squad series. I am not the only one who loves them because according to reviews on the D-Bot Squad web page children are saying that these books are AWESOME and made them feel both AMAZING, and EXCITED. I agree with them…because I read one after the other until I had read all 4. You know how some people binge watch TV...I believe I just binge read the first four books in this series and if you continue reading you will see why.
Initially when I opened this book to read it I was expecting the story to be full of fashion diva's, but I was pleasantly surprised. The story is about so much more, its all about friendship, loyalty, family, winning at all costs and the very talented Mickey.
Heartwood Hotel, is just as endearing as it sounds, taking me back to my childhood where you imagine animals such as Mona scurrying about, leading lives just like us humans, making friendships and finding “home”.
Little Big Reads 