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Danny the Champion of the World ~ Roald Dahl

 November 9, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: Danny the Champion of the World

Author: Roald Dahl

Publisher: Puffin Books

Pages: 224

Where I got it: Borrowed from Kelly

Rating: 5

Goodreads Blurb: “My father, without the slightest doubt, was the most marvelous and exciting father any boy ever had.” Danny feels very lucky. He adores his life with his father, living in a gypsy caravan, listening to his stories, tending their gas station, puttering around the workshop, and occasionally taking off to fly home-built gas balloons and kites. His father has raised him on his own, ever since Danny’s mother died when he was four months old. Life is peaceful and wonderful… until he turns 9 and discovers his father’s one vice. Soon Danny finds himself the mastermind behind the most incredible plot ever attempted against nasty Victor Hazell, a wealthy landowner with a bad attitude. Can they pull it off? If so, Danny will truly be the champion of the world.

“My father, without the slightest doubt, was the most marvelous and exciting father any boy ever had.” Danny feels very lucky. He adores his life with his father, living in a gypsy caravan, listening to his stories, tending their gas station, puttering around the workshop, and occasionally taking off to fly home-built gas balloons and kites. His father has raised him on his own, ever since Danny’s mother died when he was four months old. Life is peaceful and wonderful… until he turns 9 and discovers his father’s one vice. Soon Danny finds himself the mastermind behind the most incredible plot ever attempted against nasty Victor Hazell, a wealthy landowner with a bad attitude. Can they pull it off? If so, Danny will truly be the champion of the world.

My thoughts: Read it. If only to get to the last line of the book. It’s brilliant.

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me ~ Roald Dahl

 November 7, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me

Author: Roald Dahl

Publisher: Puffin Books

Pages: 80

Where I got it: Borrowed from Kelly

Rating: 4

Goodreads Blurb: When Billy joins the ladderless Window-Cleaning Company, the gets much more than a new job

My thoughts: I absolutely love how this always go ridiculously well in Dahl books.

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Austere Academy ~ Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events (book #5)

 November 2, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: The Austere Academy

Author: Lemony Snicket

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 221

Where I got it from: Lana

Rating: 4

Goodreads Blurb:

Dear Reader,

If you are looking for a story about cheerful youngsters spending a jolly time at boarding school, look elsewhere. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent and resourceful children, and you might expect that they would do very well at school. Don’t. For the Baudelaires, school turns out to be another miserable episode in their unlucky lives.

Truth be told, within the chapters that make up this dreadful story, the children will face snapping crabs, strict punishments, dripping fungus, comprehensive exams, violin recitals, S.O.R.E., and the metric system.

It is my solemn duty to stay up all night researching and writing the history of these three hapless youngsters, but you may be more comfortable getting a good night’s sleep. In that case, you should probably choose some other book.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

My Thoughts: It was rather wonderful to see the children make some friends for a change. I am assuming that some sort of murder conspiracy is about to reveal itself and I imagine that the two triplet siblings are part of that conspiracy. This book made me particularly eager to get through the rest.

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Miserable Mill ~ Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events (book #4)

 November 1, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: The Miserable Mill

Author: Lemony Snicket

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 194

Goodreads Blurb:

Dear Reader,

I hope for your sake, that you have not choosen to read this book because you are in the mood for a pleasant experience. If this is the case, I advise you to put this book down instantaneously, because of all the books describing the unhappy lives of the Baudelaire orphans, The Miserable Mill might be the unhappiest yet. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudeliare are sent to Paltryville to work in a lumbermill, and they find disaster and misfortune luring behing every log.

The pages of this book, I’m sorry to inform you, contain such unpeasantries as a giant pincher machine, a bad casserole, a man with a cloud of smoke where his head should be, a hypnotist, a terrible accident resulting in injury, and coupons.

I have promised to write down the entire history of these three poor children, buy you haven’t, so if you prefer stories that are more heartwarming, please feel free to make another selection.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

 

My thoughts: I was happy to move past the parts of the story that were done in the movie. The Miserable Mill wasn’t my favourite part but I did enjoy it anyway. It was rather particularly ridiculous! Which is what makes the series so fun :)

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Wide Window ~ Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (book #3)

 October 10, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: The Wide Window

Author: Lemony Snicket

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 214

Where I got it: From Lana

Rating: 4

Goodreads Blurb: Fortunately for young readers, Lemony Snicket has dedicated his life to informing readers of all the misfortunes that plagued the three Baudelaire orphans — the unluckiest children to ever live. In The Wide Window, the third book in the series, the Baudelaire children are sent to stay with a distant aunt who lives on a cliff’s edge overhanging the aptly named Lake Lachrymose, a foreboding body of water serviced by the Fickle Ferry and filled with sharp-toothed leeches who have deadly appetites.

My Thoughts: The story of the children’s adventures with the afraid-of-everything Aunt Josephine is my favourite so far. This book just seems that much more “Snicketty” – I love it!

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Reptile Room ~ Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (book #2)

 September 15, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: The Reptile Room

Author: Lemony Snicket

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 190

Where I got it: Borrowed from Lana

Goodreads blurb: After narrowly escaping the menacing clutches of the dastardly Count Olaf, the three Baudelaire orphans are taken in by a kindly herpetologist with whom they live happily for an all-too-brief time.

Rating: 4

I really do love how despite the dreadful events portrayed in this story you never feel like you’re about to fall into a heap about it. Just read and enjoy :)

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Spiderwick Chronicles #3: Lucinda’s Secret ~ Holly Black & Tony Diterlizzi

 September 7, 2011 - Author: nadine

Title: Lucinda’s Secret

Author: Holly Black & Tony Diterlizzi

Publisher: Simon & Shuster

Pages: 108

Where I got it: My own copy (can’t remember where)

Rating: 4

Again there is stunning imagery in this one. The faeries are possibly my favourites. The bond between the children carries on growing as well which I really love.

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

Mummy Never Told Me ~ Babette Cole

 May 13, 2011 - Author: nadine

I’m not entirely sure this isn’t the most bizarre children’s book I have ever read. I’m also not entirely sure I would actually give it to my son to read ever! But – it is without a doubt good for a laugh. I imagine it really only asks the kinds of questions that kids actually DO ask, from “Why do mommy and daddy lock me out of the bedroom?” (complete with stunning illustration of two naked people chasing each other around the bed) to “Why must I go to school when Mummy was expelled from hers?” (again lovely illustration of a pregnant girl being shoo-ed away by a nun). The illustrations are gorgeous and the book really is rather gigglesome. It might make a good gag gift for someone if nothing else. I do recommend reading it before you hand it over to your child though. It technically is relatively harmless, but might offend the stronger sensibilities of some readers.

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

The Day I Swapped my Dad for Two Goldfish ~ Neil Gaiman

 May 10, 2011 - Author: nadine

My friend Joe gave me this book when I fell pregnant. It was a kind of “I know presents are supposed to be for the baby but this one is really for you” kind of thing. I love Joe.

And I LOVE this book! It’s adorable. And you can see that it’s a kind of loving “I dig the kids in my life” tribute.

Obviously the title gives away the whole plot, and it’s a kid’s book so really doesn’t take long to read. The illustrations (by Dave McKean) are incredible (my kind of quirky drawing) and the story itself is just full of quirk and humor. I hope one day that it will make Noah laugh like it has made me laugh. this particular book will be living on MY bookshelf though. Seems considerably wrong to stack it next to the Barney books.

No Comments - Categories: Children's Books

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