BEDEVILED: CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

BEDEVILED: CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
Bedeviled Series: Book 3
by Shani Petroff
Illustrated by J. David McKenney
240 pp. Grosset & Dunlap. $6.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9780448451138

Rating: 5 Stars

   Angel try's to help a boy that she thinks needs help. but it ends up a disaster. Her friend now has her powers and she lost people she loves. She realizes that using her power isn't that easy. Even though her father already warned her. Now she has to deal with totally weird things and make them back to normal. Once again her father is correct, but he leaves her alone to make everything back to normal.
   Have you ever felt heart broken? This is how Angel felt when she heard that her boyfriend likes her best friend. Gaby wished for something that might ruin her relationship with her best friend. And even after that she still wishes for more things. How can she stop?
   I think the book has a connection with life. Like her friend Gaby breaking her best friends heart just because she wanted someone to like her. Gaby also isn't grateful of what she has, she just uses her wish power to wish for so many things she does not need. It's just so upsetting if a best friend wants something better than what her best friend needs. Let this be a lesson to all of you, always put family and friends before things that you want.
   I think this is a perfect book for Tweens. I think this book should be popular so much more people can know about this book.
   I give this book 5 stars.

THE BATTLE FOR WONDLA

THE BATTLE FOR WONDLA
WondLa trilogy book 3
by Tony DiTerlizzi
496 pp. Simon & Schuster $17.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9781416983149

Rating: 5 Stars


    In most adventure books the main character is a boy and the girls are all quite weak, which disturbs me. However, in this book a girl (Eva Nine) is extremely brave, a hero and the main character. Eva Nine was created in a lab, which means that she isn’t a proper person so she’s supposed to be controlled by normal people, although she's still the one who saves Wondla. For these reasons she is my favorite character.

    This book started with Eva Nine having gone into hiding with Hailey in the forest. They did this so they weren't captured by Loroc, who had already consumed his own sisters to make himself more powerful, and now hoped to consume his brother Zin also. Eva Nine had an idea for where Zin was hiding and got a trader in goods to take her there. When she got there she asked him for help and warned him about Loroc. He agreed to help her but before they could speak anymore they were attacked by Loroc's warships. Luckily, Eva Nine managed to escape; Zin, however, wasn't so lucky and got captured. Having escaped, Eva and Hailey went to Eva's alien friend Rovender and his tribe to ask them for help in trying to thwart Loroc's evil plan. They agreed and together the unlikely team did their best to stop Loroc …
    One of the things that makes this book unique and amazing are the illustrations. Tony DiTerlizzi is an inspiration to me because he is one in few writers who write long books and illustrate them. This inspires me because I love drawing and writing and if I ever write a book I would like to illustrate it myself. He also inspires me because normally fantasy and sci-fi writers only use well known magical characters like werewolves, fairies, witches, vampires, ghosts and wizards, maybe inventing one or two more creatures, whereas, Tony DiTerlizzi invents a whole new world of them. When you read, notice how it uses allusion to older stories like the Oz stories, and even the Grimm brothers’ fairytales, except more modern. For example, they all invent new imaginary worlds. The Wondla stories are especially like the Oz stories because they both have a young girl making new, sometimes strange, friends, in a magical world. I suppose “Alice in Wonderland” sort of fits in with them too, but I think that it doesn’t completely, because while the other stories have a fixed goal (finding home) “Alice in Wonderland” seems sort of muddled.
    As this is such a good book I won’t restrict it too much to one age group. I think the right reader for this book is any one over 8 who liked the last two books and can read well. As this book was amazing, it definitely deserves five out of five stars.

also on the Guardian Children's Books Site

ASTERIX AND THE PICTS

 
ASTERIX AND THE PICTS
by Jean-Yves Ferri
Illustrated by Didier Conrad
48 pp. Orion Children's Books. £10.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9781444011678

Rating: 4.5 Stars


             This story starts with Asterix and Obelix finding a Pict man stuck in ice. Quickly, they call all of the Gauls to help them free the Pict man.  Together they take the Pict man to Getafixi's hut.  Suddenly the Pict man pops out of the ice and starts to walk. The Pict man sees a tiny man with a stone tablet talking to him and also writing things down on his stone tablet.  As the Pict man can't speak he tells them his story in actions and carves the way to his land on one of Obelix's menhirs.  Then the Gauls decide to have Asterix and Obelix take him back to his land: the land of the Picts. While on the boat the Pict man gets his voice back and tells them his name is MacAroon. 
              If you didn't already know this book wasn't written by the same writer then you wouldn't notice the difference.  However, if you did already know then you would notice small differences like how each character seems to get a more equal time in the spotlight.  Even though these books might be meant for young children, we still never cease to be amused by them. The reason for this is that our favourite character, Obelix, plays a great part in all the books and we are pleased to see that the new writer still gives Obelix a big role to play.
              We think all ages that can read should definitely read this book.  For all off the Asterix and Obelix books we give five out of five stars, for this book by itself we give four and a half stars.    

also on Guardian Children's Books Site

LILY ALONE

LILY ALONE
By Jacqueline Wilson
Illustrated by Nick Sharratt.
320 pp. Doubleday Children's Books. £12.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9780385618649

Rating: 4 Stars


    I read this book because my friend recommended it to me. I am honoured to say that her mom knows Jacqueline Wilson. I myself actually sometimes feel like Lily.
    This book is about a girl called Lily. One day her mom goes off with their may be future dad on holiday so they are left home alone. Poor Lily has to somehow get the house together before their mom comes back. Sadly with Baxter, Pixie, and Bliss always on the move that is nearly impossible. Just to make it worse they have a secret to hide: their mom has left them home alone.
    I think ages nine to twelve should read this book because the language is for older readers but adults and teenagers would probably think the story was a bit childish. This book definitely deserves four stars because it was brilliant but could have been a tiny bit better.

A HERO FOR WONDLA

A HERO FOR WONDLA
By Tony DiTerlizzi
464 pp. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. £12.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9780857073013

Rating: ? Stars


  A while ago, I read a brilliant book called A Search for Wondla, written and illustrated by the same person who created and illustrated The Spiderwick Chronicles. Then about a week ago I found this book in the library while looking for a book to read. I immediately checked it out. I have actually met the writer of this book and had the first book signed. The writer is quite interesting and if I ever become a writer I will probably write books like him as I like drawing and writing. I shall not give away too much about the book, but what I shall say is that it is definitely not the end of the series. I think children aged eight to twelve should read this book. However you should read the first book in the series before you read this book.
  This book was about a twelve year old girl called Eva Nine, who was found by a pilot that brought her to New Attica. She was very excited because she would be able to meet other humans like herself, but it was a bit suspicious because she found out that in return for delivering her the pilot got the plane pieces he wanted. Even though everyone was very kind to her and she was with her own kind, could it be that New Attica was not the right place for her? I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
also on Guardian Children's Books Site

SIX DAYS

SIX DAYS By Philip Webb
384 pp. Chicken House. £6.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9781906427627

Rating: ? Stars

      I read the book because I read the back and it seemed like a thunderous mystery.
       I think ages nine and up should read this book because if you are any younger you will not understand the first half of the book. I would not recommend it to grown ups though because it has a childlike story.
       A shiver went down my spine when I found out about the soldiers that were basically machines controlled by the bosses mind. Six Days is about girl called Cass and her brother, Wilbur, who are both "Scavs" (scavenger). One day when Cass is out looking for Wilbur they meet up with two alien people who help them find something called the artefact.
       I think the characters were realistic because the main characters are not Mr Perfect or Miss Perfect but are more real. However the characters are a bit unrealistic because they can do some crazy things that normal people cannot do. Although the setting started off in London, which was realistic, it ended up in extraordinary places which were not realistic.
       Despite this story not having much off a moral, at least that I noticed, it is a book you would probably just read for fun. In addition this book reminds me of a time I had a sleepover at the British Museum and went sleep walking which scared the daylights out of my mother. Why? Because close to the end they go to the British Museum to find the artefact.

also on the Guardian Children's Books site

THE LIVES OF CHRISTOPHER CHANT

THE LIVES OF CHRISTOPHER CHANT
The Worlds Of Chrestomanci Book 2
By Diana Wynne Jones
336 pp. HarperCollins Children's Books. £6.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9780006755180

Rating: ? Stars

      This book caught my eye because I had read another book by the same writer, and this story was supposed to have happened at least twenty five years earlier. I also read this book because the back of the book (the part that tells you what it's about) seemed like the style of story I like (fiction, but not the kind that is impossible to believe).
      People who can read proper big fat books should definitely read this book. I will not name any ages because some older people will not like it because it has too much magic, while others may like it because of that. Younger children might not like it because there is not always something exciting going on, while others will think that makes the exciting parts more exciting.
      When I was about two thirds of the way through I gasped in surprise when I found that Christopher's uncle, who seemed to be the only good person in our world, turned out to be the worst villain in all the twelve worlds. The book is about a young boy called Christopher Chant, who is first tricked by his uncle's evil ways. Christopher gets a big surprise when he finds out that he is destined to be the next Chrestomanci. However when he has to learn how to be the next Chrestomanci he faces the problem of being against the man that used to be his best friend.
      I think Christopher was obviously not completely realistic because no human being has nine lives or can even cast one spell. Unlike that Christopher is realistic in some other ways for example since he had never met any other children's parents he thought that all children's parents were like his and did not just know that they were different than his own.
      I think the setting was realistic in some parts of the story but completely unrealistic in most of it because it talked a lot about the twelve worlds.
      The book didn't exactly go straight to the point the writer (I think) was trying to make, but wrote about it in a sneaky way. I think that the writer was trying to say that the way people butcher different animals (that we don't even eat) and sell there different parts for a lot of money is evil and should be stopped.

INKHEART

INKHEART
Inkheart Trilogy 1
By Cornelia Funke.
544 pages. Chicken House. £9.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9781906427290

Rating: 4 Stars


This is one of the most wonderful books I have ever read; it is actually one of my favourites.
It is about a girl called Meggie and her father named Mo. Both of them love books and Mo is a bookbinder. Ten years ago when Meggie was only two something
happened. Meggie was reading a picture book and Mo was reading inkheart to her mother Resa when suddenly they found three men in the living room Mo chased them out with a sword but when he came back Resa had disapeared. After that day Mo seemed to always be taking Meggie on trips and she didn't now what for because she didn't remember that day. One day when they were going on a trip to her aunt Elinor Mo got captured by an evil man named Capricorn. Meggie and aunt Elinor went after him and ended up caught in the same trap as him and Meggie without thinking twice gave Capricorn the book he wanted so much. Then after Mo had already read a boy out of the book and some gold their trater as if to say sorry helped them and the boy to escape.

I think people who really like to read like me should read this book because the main character loves to read and because it is 564 pages long. I think ages 8,9,10,11,12, and thirteen should read this book. My favourite part is when Meggie reads the shadow their and it kills everyone who once killed or burned someone else and then died himself. I am definately going to give this book four out of five.

THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Secret Series: Book 4
By Pseudonymous Bosch.
448 pages. Usborne Publishing Ltd. £5.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9781409525882

This is an amazing book actually one of my favourites.

It’s about a girl called Cass and a boy called Max Ernest. Now right after Cass had left she had gotten another of those chocolates that made her mind go back in time. Max Ernest had told her not to but she still had she ate the chocolate. The second she ate the chocolate she fell to the floor completely unconscious. When Cass arrived in the past of her great grandfather, she saw a little boy who was calling to his father to help him down the tree. She thought she would help him down the tree. Without thinking twice went over to help him down the tree when suddenly she could hear him saying “goat.” When she listened harder she realised that he was actually saying “ghost.” Then she went over to have a look at her reflection but she was invisible.

And that’s just the start of the book!

My favourite part is when lord Pharaoh comes in to our world. I think this story has to morals don’t trust someone whose friends with a bad guy and don’t eat chocolate that’s given to you by a bad guy. I think ages 8, 9, and ten should read this book. This book was so good that I could barely put it down. This is a brilliant book and you are missing out on a lot of fun if you are not going to read it.

IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S TOO LATE

IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S TOO LATE
Secret Series: Book 2
By Pseudonymous Bosch.
416 pp. Usborne Publishing Ltd. £5.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9780746097403

Rating: 5 Stars


      I liked this book so much I could barely put it down. This book is about a girl called Cass and a boy called Max-Ernest. Both are twelve and both are in the Terces Society, which is secret backwards.
      First they are fooled by Pietro's twin brother Doctor L. But while they are locked up they find something very mysterious, a sound prism. When they get back to the Terces Society they are given a job to do it is to find the homunculus.
      But Cass is grounded so she has to be clever. That night Max-Ernest gets some mail from the Terces Society. He runs to get Cass the minute he sees it. Together they read it. This is one of the stories they read.
      There once was a doctor who was very nice and taught children. But, when he found the philosophers stone, he grew envious and locked himself in his laboratory. One day he found out how to make a man in a bottle. He called this man the homunculus but treated him horribly. So the homunculus runs away altogether.
      The next day Cass , Max-Ernest and Yo-yoji go camping with Cass's uncles. Cass and Max-Ernest do not want to let Yo-yoji into the Terces Society so they go off by themselves but Yo-yoji finds out. When he comes up to them they tell him that they are trying to get the homunculus by the sound prism's music, magic music. The next morning they find the homunculus and take him back. What happens when they find he is not there anymore?
      I really liked this book. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I could barely put this wonderful book down. My favourite part is when Cass gets caught and while they are tied up the good people and the bad people have war. If you are not reading this book then you are missing out on a lot of fun. I think nine, ten, eleven, twelve and thirteen year olds should read this book because I just think those ages should. The moral of this story is evil people never win. If I put this story out of five I would definitely say five out of five.



Homunculus Army on Brain. Artwork inspired by If You're Reading This, It's Too Late. Constructed from one digital photograph and an automatically parcellated cortical surface reconstructed from MRI images using FreeSurfer software (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/). Original design by Bellusaurus sui.

FLOOD FIND

FLOOD FIND
By Jan Barrow. Illustrated by Robin Lawrie.
72 pp. Pont Books. £1.50. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9781859023266

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I like this book a little bit because it is a little bit funny and a little bit interesting. It is the best archaeologist book I ever heard or read but at the start it was boring and it came better and better. From looking at the cover you only know one character which is one of the sheep but if you read the blurb you find out who the main character is which is Gareth which is the youngest person in his family and in the book he is about ten years old. Gareth has one brother who is called David and he is around fourteen or fifteen years old and Gareth has one sister who is about at least seventeen years old and she is called Bethan. Gareth lives on a farm with his dad, his mum, his big sister Bethan and his big brother David. David and Bethan don't like Gareth because he is the youngest in the family. David and Bethan always ignore Gareth when he's trying to say something or explain something. Gareth is the main character and he likes digging.

Characters:
Gareth
Gareth is the main character. He loves digging and finding tresure. Gareth is about ten years old and he is also the youngest in the family. He lives on the farm with his mam, dad, his big brother and his big sister, David and Bethan.

David
David is Gareth's big brother. He only can think about working and going on computers. He also wants to go to university when he's older. David is about 13, 14 or 12 years old. He doesn't like his little brother Gareth.

Bethan
Bethan is the oldest kid in the family. She's around 17 or 16 years old. She doesn't like Gareth either because he's the youngest. She's not in a very good mood all the time. She has brown curly hair.

Mam
Mam likes drinking lots of tea and coffe. She doesn't talk very much, expesially she doesn't talk very much to Gareth.

THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET

THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET
Secret Series: Book 1
By Pseudonymous Bosch.
304 pp. Usborne Publishing Ltd. £5.99. (Ages 10 and up)

ISBN
9780746090923

Rating: 5 Stars

      This book is a lot like Lemony Snicket, because she keeps telling you not to read it, when you just can't stop yourself because it is so good.
      This book is about a girl called Cass who meets a boy called Max Ernest. What happens when the two children find a magician's diary, and have to fight Mrs Mauvais?
      To find out read the book. A cool thing about the magician's diary is that it talks about synaesthesia, which is a mixing up of the senses and it is real!  An example is a person who when we see black writing, they see rainbow writing like this. I think 8 to 12 year olds should read this wonderful book, because it is a bit too scary for small children, and a grown - up would think it is too childish.



Fire In The Pyramid. Artwork inspired by The Name of this Book is Secret. Constructed from a cereal box which was cut into a square with four equilateral triangles radiating off of it, joined by a tab on the edge of each triangle. Original design by Bellusaurus sui.