Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Vampire Book - by Sally Regan
This is a complete story of these unearthly crature of the night: their means of existence, the myths and legend from around the work, the clasic tale of Count Dracula, and modern fiction that transformed the vampire from heartless monster to romantic hero.
It's a very informative book for those who can't seem to escape the lure of those fascinating creatures. The book gives a good historical overview the vampire as well as complete illustrations.
Recommended from ages 6 to 99.
It's a very informative book for those who can't seem to escape the lure of those fascinating creatures. The book gives a good historical overview the vampire as well as complete illustrations.
Recommended from ages 6 to 99.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Readers wanted!
Feeling bereft without the take-home readers? Need absorbing info or trusty tales to take away in the school hols? Or perhaps you just can’t imagine the dreary depths of winter without good books to curl up with.
Fear no more – the CCPS library has a range of NEW fiction, junior fiction, short fiction and non-fiction ready for borrowing, with something for all ages, interests, reading levels and literary tastes. And best of all – they’re free!
Check them out by clicking here.
Fear no more – the CCPS library has a range of NEW fiction, junior fiction, short fiction and non-fiction ready for borrowing, with something for all ages, interests, reading levels and literary tastes. And best of all – they’re free!
Check them out by clicking here.
The First Dog - by Jan Brett
I blame Red Riding Hood. Or The Three Pigs. Or possibly the Boy Who Cried Wolf. One way or another, wolves entered and then colonised my nightmares as a child. Yet their doggy descendents are among the animals with whom we have the closest relationships – everything from working cattle dogs to pampered poodles are descended from prehistoric wolves.
I’ve always wondered about how wolves and humans ever found the courage to take the first, fraught, faltering steps towards trusting each other, many millennia ago. This story tells a compelling version of that encounter in the Pleistocene between one hungry wolf and one vulnerable young boy.
It’s illustrated in a textured style that evokes stone-age art materials: wood, rocks, fur, skins and animal bones. Many pages have a satisfying complexity with glacial moraine backdrops and cave art borders. There are clues to each new encounter the children enjoyed spotting ahead of cave-boy Kip. I think a particular strength was the absence of sentimentality in this reconstruction. It was not affection, but necessity that brought them together in a harsher, crueller world.
It also leads me to chuckle that most dogs I know could be justified in sporting a certain smugness; a belief that it is they who successfully domesticated us. We continue our side of the evolutionary bargain (food, shelter) long after we have dispensed with our need for theirs (protection).
Click here to go to a web page with learning activities related to this book.
I’ve always wondered about how wolves and humans ever found the courage to take the first, fraught, faltering steps towards trusting each other, many millennia ago. This story tells a compelling version of that encounter in the Pleistocene between one hungry wolf and one vulnerable young boy.
It’s illustrated in a textured style that evokes stone-age art materials: wood, rocks, fur, skins and animal bones. Many pages have a satisfying complexity with glacial moraine backdrops and cave art borders. There are clues to each new encounter the children enjoyed spotting ahead of cave-boy Kip. I think a particular strength was the absence of sentimentality in this reconstruction. It was not affection, but necessity that brought them together in a harsher, crueller world.
It also leads me to chuckle that most dogs I know could be justified in sporting a certain smugness; a belief that it is they who successfully domesticated us. We continue our side of the evolutionary bargain (food, shelter) long after we have dispensed with our need for theirs (protection).
Click here to go to a web page with learning activities related to this book.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great - by Gerald Morris
This is part of a Series called Knight's Tales.
There are a lot of books with allegedly humourous takes on the traditional tales of knights and days of yore. And having been obsessed with all things chivalry for nigh on three years, my boys have seen them all. Ballerina knights, dragons who eat only tinned pineapple, pirate grandmas - you name it and we've read the book.
At first I thought they were a useful antidote to the conventional - especially for littlies who needed gentle nudges to think beyond strict gender-roles, brawn over brains, battle-based climaxes and other cliches of childhood. But it started to seem a bit lazy when authors relied only on such zany twists to tell a tale. We wanted more depth, more engagement with the characters. And anyway, all this variation didn't really even seem particularly funny to them; they weren't familiar enough with the basics of the story.
What we needed was a well-told tale of the gallant knight. Heroic, and honourable, but also humble, humourous and human. While the first chapter did not bode well, in which Lancelot presented as a preening peacock, his character develops with each new chapter, and Lancelot first out-lances, then outwits and finally outdoes the kindness of others, and eventually seeks a quiet retirement.
It was perfectly pitched for reading aloud to the youngsters, and managed a nice balance of non-preachy morals as well as humour that had them laughing out loud. In bed. In a most unsleepy manner.
We are on the lookout for others by this author. I understand he has a series called Squires Tales for slightly older readers.
There are a lot of books with allegedly humourous takes on the traditional tales of knights and days of yore. And having been obsessed with all things chivalry for nigh on three years, my boys have seen them all. Ballerina knights, dragons who eat only tinned pineapple, pirate grandmas - you name it and we've read the book.
At first I thought they were a useful antidote to the conventional - especially for littlies who needed gentle nudges to think beyond strict gender-roles, brawn over brains, battle-based climaxes and other cliches of childhood. But it started to seem a bit lazy when authors relied only on such zany twists to tell a tale. We wanted more depth, more engagement with the characters. And anyway, all this variation didn't really even seem particularly funny to them; they weren't familiar enough with the basics of the story.
What we needed was a well-told tale of the gallant knight. Heroic, and honourable, but also humble, humourous and human. While the first chapter did not bode well, in which Lancelot presented as a preening peacock, his character develops with each new chapter, and Lancelot first out-lances, then outwits and finally outdoes the kindness of others, and eventually seeks a quiet retirement.
It was perfectly pitched for reading aloud to the youngsters, and managed a nice balance of non-preachy morals as well as humour that had them laughing out loud. In bed. In a most unsleepy manner.
We are on the lookout for others by this author. I understand he has a series called Squires Tales for slightly older readers.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid - series by Jeff Kiney
Reviewed by Varun (age 9)
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by series by Jeff Kinney is one of the funniest books I’ve read. It is full of many funny jokes and pictures. The main characters are Greg Heffley, Rowley, Mum, Frank Heffley (Dad) , Rodrick and Manny. Greg is the main character. Rowley is his best friend and sidekick. The books are written in a child’s writing and have lined pages. It is written in the form of a diary. It describes Greg’s life in high school and his wimpy way and troubles.
A light and funny read for ages 7-10 (even if you’re not a wimpy kid!)
The book titles are (in order)
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by series by Jeff Kinney is one of the funniest books I’ve read. It is full of many funny jokes and pictures. The main characters are Greg Heffley, Rowley, Mum, Frank Heffley (Dad) , Rodrick and Manny. Greg is the main character. Rowley is his best friend and sidekick. The books are written in a child’s writing and have lined pages. It is written in the form of a diary. It describes Greg’s life in high school and his wimpy way and troubles.
A light and funny read for ages 7-10 (even if you’re not a wimpy kid!)
The book titles are (in order)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid-a novel in cartoons,
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid-Rodrick Rules,
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid-The last Straw and the
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid;Do-it-yourself book.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Top five for 9-year-olds
A list of favourites by Varun (aged 9) with descriptions added by his mother!
5. Aussie Angel series by Margaret Clark - great for anyone who loves animals. They are set in Victoria and centre around the family of a wildlife ranger, their pets (which include a slighty crazy cockatoo and camel) and the adventures they have.
4. The Phredde series by Jackie French
3. George and the Secret to the Universe and George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt - Stephen and Lucy Hawking
2. The Wimpy Kid series - Geoff Kinney
1. The Story of a seagull and the Cat who taught it to fly - Lius Sepulveda - absolutely gorgeous story set in a North Sea port featuring of course a seagull and a cat as well as a pair of mad Italian cats.
5. Aussie Angel series by Margaret Clark - great for anyone who loves animals. They are set in Victoria and centre around the family of a wildlife ranger, their pets (which include a slighty crazy cockatoo and camel) and the adventures they have.
4. The Phredde series by Jackie French
3. George and the Secret to the Universe and George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt - Stephen and Lucy Hawking
2. The Wimpy Kid series - Geoff Kinney
1. The Story of a seagull and the Cat who taught it to fly - Lius Sepulveda - absolutely gorgeous story set in a North Sea port featuring of course a seagull and a cat as well as a pair of mad Italian cats.
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