Robots versus anything is always going to be something that interests me and with the “Transformers meet Disney Princesses” marketing attached to thisRobots versus anything is always going to be something that interests me and with the “Transformers meet Disney Princesses” marketing attached to this graphic novel I couldn’t help myself. I had to check this one out.
Princess Zara is the only princess who hasn’t chosen her animal for the upcoming recital. The princess’ songs tame wild beasts and apparently the recital is a good place to find yourself a prince.
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I’m not certain if Princess Zara is actively seeking a prince but she does want a baby dragon (don’t we all?!) so she sneaks off to the Forbidden Woods to find one.
Meanwhile Wheeler, a robot, decides it’s time to bail on the chaos of Chromia and the abuse he has suffered there.
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Zara and Wheeler’s introduction is understandably awkward,
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especially when you realise Zara’s song has somehow transformed this downtrodden robot into a mechanical dragon. But not everyone is happy about their new friendship. Well, it’s only sort of a friendship in the beginning. Zara is using Wheeler to wow the crowd at the recital but she does appear to like him as well and they do become friends during the story.
I’m not sure the wild animals of Harmonia would be overly thrilled by being mind controlled by random princess songs and forced to do housework, make clothing or dance on cue.
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Sure, they are smiling but are they happy or is this Stockholm syndrome?! Only their therapists know for sure. Anyway, moving on …
Battle scenes and background information ensue, along with some sweet conversations about friendship. We learn a little about the Centurions and the Decimators. Then, before you know it, it’s time for the big battle that’s been centuries in the making.
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The battle rages on until what I thought was going to be an Obi-Wan Kenobi moment
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turned into, um, the possibility of something else. ...more
Judy and her brother Stink are reading up a storm.
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They, along with Frank, Sophie and Jessica, are the Virginia Da
“The Bookworms rule!”
Judy and her brother Stink are reading up a storm.
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They, along with Frank, Sophie and Jessica, are the Virginia Dare Bookworms. The Bookworms are preparing to beat Braintree Academy’s team, the Bloodsucking Fake-Mustache Defenders, to the buzzer when they compete in the Book Quiz Blowout.
The winning team will not just earn bookish bragging rights. The Book Quiz Wizard’s Cup will be proudly displayed in their school’s library. This is no ordinary trophy - it lights up!
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She, Judy Moody, was a book quiz whiz. A book wizard. A quizzard!
Judy is frantically practising her speed reading and Stink has his Cape of Good Answers, but when they learn of the other team’s secret weapon the Bookworms’ confidence is shaken.
“Will the Bookworms take a bite out of the Bloodsuckers? Or will the Bloodsuckers sink their fangs into the Bookworms on their way to the finish and take home the trophy?”
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I always enjoy Peter H. Reynolds’ illustrations, in particular how expressive the children are.
In preparation for the upcoming competition, the Bookworms talk about oodles of children’s books, both classics and more recent bestsellers. As someone who has always sought out potential future reads in my current read, I was delighted to find a list of everything the Bookworms read at the end of the book. All six pages of them, with titles and authors, in alphabetical order! Some of my own childhood favourites are there as well - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlotte’s Web and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
N.B. The title of the copy I read is Judy Moody, Super Book Whiz. On Goodreads this is listed as Judy Moody, Book Quiz Whiz.
I won a copy of this book in a giveaway, which was hosted by Tracey at Carpe Librum. Thank you so much to Carpe Librum, Walker Books and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for the opportunity to read this book....more
When the royal blue diamond, the world’s largest gemstone, goes missing from the State Natural History Museum it’s up to Sherlock Bones and Watts to sWhen the royal blue diamond, the world’s largest gemstone, goes missing from the State Natural History Museum it’s up to Sherlock Bones and Watts to solve the mystery, even if the main suspect is a ghost. If they don’t, then the museum may close and Bones certainly doesn’t want to be put into storage.
Sherlock Bones is a tawny frogmouth and Watts is a blue Indian ringneck parrot. Both are exhibits in the state Natural History Museum. Bones is, well, bones and Watts is stuffed, so while Bones knows what she says, the reader doesn’t. They’re joined by Grace the raccoon, who is very much alive and in need of chocolate. You’ll also meet Mickey who, you guessed it, is a mouse.
This is a really fun read. I loved the humour, which was appropriate for both adults and children. There’s some enjoyable slapstick humour but there are also some more subtle smiles that adults will appreciate. I loved the jar containing a herring that’s beside one containing a red herring. You’ll also stumble upon some accidental learning, with interesting facts included that don’t detract from the story.
This is a highly illustrated chapter book. I would encourage you to look closely at all of the pictures because there are clues scattered throughout the illustrations that will help you solve the mystery. I also liked discovering other elements that, while not part of the mystery, were interesting, including a hermit crab checking out suitable replacements for its shell.
I particularly loved that this book was written and illustrated by a fellow Australian. Okay, so she was born in America but she moved to Australia in 2007 so I’m claiming her, especially since the focus in the book was on Australian animals. There’s also the requisite “Blimey!”
I can’t tell you how much I loved that the main character was a tawny frogmouth. We have a tawny frogmouth couple who either hang out on our clothes line or hunt in our front yard most nights and I adore them!
I really hope this book is the first in a series because I need to know what mystery Sherlock Bones and Watts will investigate next.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the wonderful surprise in the mail today. I love book competitions! I read an advanced proof copy and I hope nothing changes prior to publication.
Oh, and while I’m just a tad outside of the age range for this book’s target audience, that doesn’t stop me from feeling pretty darn proud of myself for finding the clues and solving the mystery before Sherlock Bones and Watts did. 😜...more
Personal Appearance: Frizzy brown hair that looks like she stuck her fingeCLIENT REPORT - CONFIDENTIAL
Client Name: Marion Zetland
Age: 54, but looks 60
Personal Appearance: Frizzy brown hair that looks like she stuck her finger in a powerpoint, in desperate need of surgery to implant a sense of fashion
Relevant Family History: Rich in money (business: Zetland's Fine Fabrics) but not affection. Emotionally unavailable mother. Weirdo father. Psycho brother
Education: Attended three schools yet appears to have learned little at any of them
Lives: In her own little world
Home Life: Resides with her older brother, John, and various 'visitors' in her childhood six-bedroom home. Sleeps in her childhood attic bedroom
Home's hoarder level: Expert
Cleanliness of home: Sorry, but I can't see under the dust to assess this
Social Life: Does being friends with stuffed animals count?
Culinary Prowess: Toast, reheating tinned or packet food
Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms: Denial, binge-eating, denial, daydreaming, denial, living through TV shows, denial
Special Abilities: Invisibility, ability to transfigure into a doormat
Mantra: If I don't pay attention to it then it's not really happening
Favourite Books: Include The Secret Garden and the Harry Potter series (OK, so she has some redeeming qualities after all)
Relationship and Employment History: Did you just hear a pin drop?
Overall Assessment: This woman, whose emotional and social development halted somewhere in early childhood, needs a big dose of 'wake up to yourself!' A victim of her upbringing but complicit in her failure to get a life, her only expertise appears to be in not having any accountability for how her life has turned out or the choices she's made or refused to make (honey, refusing to do anything is also a choice).
And the winners of the You Should've Been Sterilised at Birth category ... 🥁... Marion and John's parents!
Is it possible to want to keep reading a book when you despise the two main characters and wish them slow, excruciating deaths? Apparently.
Is it also possible to wander aimlessly between empathy and wanting to knock some sense into one of the main characters for almost the entire book? You betcha.
The Visitors is a difficult book to review. There's so much I want to say but don't want to give anything away. It was well written and a scarily accurate fly on the wall look into the lives of one seriously dysfunctional family. I've heard some seriously dysfunctional people saying some of the things that come out of these characters' mouths almost word for word.
I imagine this will be a polarising book as it delves into some disturbing themes and although evil is most certainly committed by multiple characters, you can also see enough of the gears working inside their heads that you get an understanding of why they may choose to behave that way. I'm definitely not giving them a free pass here. Their actions are reprehensible and yet, there was a part of me that still wanted to empathise with them, just a little bit. I guess my obsession fascination with why people do the evil they do had a morbidly enjoyable feast during this book.
My main annoyance with this book came at the ending. I was hoping it would turn out differently (that's being nice - I actually wanted to punch someone) but perhaps I can borrow a smidgen Marion's fantasy world ability and imagine my own end to the story. Love it or hate it, this is going to be a talked about book. I can see it working well as a book club read.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback. I'd also like to say a special thanks to Erin at Hachette Australia for her excellent customer service....more
Beautiful! Just beautiful! I can definitely see this photography book featuring people from all over the world making its way to my coffee table. I waBeautiful! Just beautiful! I can definitely see this photography book featuring people from all over the world making its way to my coffee table. I want to look through it over and over, and show specific photos to specific people: "Look at those amazing eyes! They seem to look straight into your soul." "Check out the incredible composition of this shot." "Oh, that lighting..." *satisfied sigh* "How cool is that?!" "That depth of field of that one is perfect."
I saw stories in the eyes of these people - humility, laughter, hardship, hope, pain, joy. Some even appear to have a slightly amused look on their face as if surprised that the photographer chose them as subjects.
Now, more than ever, we need to be reminded that as people we are more alike than not. We may look different and have varying world views and experiences, but the human experience ultimately remains the same. We've all had struggles, fears, sadness and pain, we've all (I hope) experienced happiness, love and the comfort and joy of friendship. We all have dreams, goals and ambitions for our life. Although maybe not everyone has quite as many soapboxes as I do...
The only things I would personally liked to have seen added to this gorgeous book are the first name of each subject and perhaps a sentence or two about who they are.
Human Tribe would make a lovely gift and would be a great talking piece as a coffee table book. Aspiring photographers could use this book to learn about what makes a captivating portrait, experienced photographers can appreciate the technical expertise of Alison Wright and anyone who loves photos will enjoy poring over this book.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Schiffer Publishing Ltd. for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback....more
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