Two Picture Book Reviews - Knight Time - Jane Clarke and Jane Massey

Knight Time - Jane Clarke and Jane Massey -  New story cd edition - Red Fox 1 Oct 2009

Book Synopsis

Every night, when their daddies tuck them in, Little Knight dreams of fierce knight-eating dragons and Little Dragon dreams of dangerous dragon-slaying knights. But one dark, stormy night, their two worlds collide and Little Dragon and Little Knight discover that they both have teddy bears and cuddly blankets - and they're not scary at all! It's silly to hunt each other!" they tell their daddies. And so it is. Simple language and powerful imagery shows up the nature of mistaken prejudices and uncovers the universality of night-time fears by using characters who are naturally scared of each other. The result is a reassuring bed-time book with a difference.





Book Review By Mrs Ripley
This is a beautifully illustrated book with an incredible amount of detail included on each page. Each time I opened a page I saw something different, yet all the detail adds to and enhances the story. The story is delightful in the way it addresses the fears of a dragon and a knight. The parallel storyline of both merges well to bring the two lives together. A lovely book to share together at storytime.


Anthony Bourke and John Rendall - Christian the Lion:My Scrap Book - Published by Red Fox 3 Sep 2009


Book synopsis
Follow the heartwarming and true story of Christian. The lion cub bought from Harrods, raised in a Chelsea flat and finally returned to live wild and free on the African plains. Christian's story is told in a scrapbook style, using original photographs of him as a cub. These images are both funny, moving and heart warming. The simple and accessible text, told in Christian's voice, deals with themes familiar to little ones - love, friendship, play and exploration.

Book Review by Mrs Ripley

A unique story that has been brought to life by many incredible photographs. An informative and interesting book which educates the reader in the re-housing of Christian the Lion to Africa, and his plight in adjusting to the wild. I think children will be amazed by his journey and be delighted with his new life in Africa. 

David Walliams - Mr Stink - Illustrated by Quentin Blake - Book Review

Mr Ripley's Book Review


This book comes with an overpowering smell, so if you are offended by the pong put two rabbit droppings up your nostrils and that should do the trick!
This is the second book written by David, it has been greatly illustrated by the amazing Quentin Blake. I was sent a copy of the book this week and moved it up the pile, I think it was curiosity that made me do this. 
This is a very touching story about a young girl Chloe, who makes friends with a local tramp. Chloe's mum is running for election and one of her policies was for all homeless people or 'soap-dogers' to be banned from the streets. So Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed. What follows next is a well written story, that reads in a similar style to that of Roald Dahl. It's a magical family read, with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. The comedy in this book is quite evident showing great wit and intelligence throughout the book.  The touching and personal side to this book is well developed, bringing each characters story to life.
I loved every page of this book, in some parts it was like reading poetry. A great original story that deserves to be read.


 I give this book five out of five and would recommend it whole heartedly.


Book published by HarperCollins Children's Books  29 October 2009 

Book synopsis
 "Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. And if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well!" Chloe sees Mr Stink every day, but she's never spoken to him. Which isn't surprising, because he's a tramp, and he stinks. But there's more to Mr Stink than meets the eye (or nose) and before she knows it, Chloe has an unusual new friend hiding in her garden shed. As Chloe struggles to keep Mr Stink a secret, and her dad tries to hide a secret of his own, the stage is set for an epic family confrontation. But there's one other person with a an extraordinary secret -- Mr Stink himself!

Ian Beck - Pastworld - Book Review

Mr Ripleys Review


This is a really great read,one of the best books that has used the themes of Victorian and Time travel  to good use.  A clever thriller of a book  and no end of entertainment to the reader.

Startling and original, Ian Beck’s vision of a world in which people are pawns and your future is predestined by place of birth makes compelling reading. Five out Five also being made into a Film as we speak.

Julia Eccleshare's comment:
Take a thrilling journey into the past in this clever time slip mystery which, written in different voices from different times, takes its readers from a dystopian future to a Dickensian past. Caleb is on a tourist trip to the future when his father is kidnapped and he is accused of murder. Eve comes from Pastworld and knows nothing of contemporary life. From different worlds Caleb and Eve find themselves caught up in the murderer’s wicked plans and escape will not be easy.

Synopsis

 

Pastworld. A city within a city. A city for excursions and outings. Pastworld is a theme park with a difference, where travellers can travel back in time for a brush with an authentic Victorian past. But what if the Jack the Ripper figure stopped play-acting and really started killing people? For Caleb, a tourist from the present day, his visit goes terribly wrong when his father is kidnapped and he finds himself accused of murder. Then Caleb meets Eva Rose, a Pastworld inhabitant who has no idea the modern world exists. Both Caleb and Eva have roles to play in the murderer's diabolical plans - roles that reveal disturbing truths about their origins. 

About the Author

Ian Beck is well known as an illustrator as well as more recently a writer of young fiction with the publication of the very succesful Tom Trueheart titles by OUP. This is his first foray in to the world of teen fiction. Ian lives in West London. He began his career as an illustrator working on album covers including the still in-print classic for Elton John's album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Book you also may like to read are the books by Tom Becker the Darkside Series.

Darksid
1. 2010)

Kazu Kibuishi - The Stonekeeper's Curse (Amulet, Book 2) Event In Alhambra, Califonia U.S

Mr Ripley Say's
This looks like a great event for everyone. The only problem for me, is that I am in England and this event is in the U.S! So if you area in the Alhambra, California area, why not take a look and have a fun day. If anyone would like to review the event for us, please drop me an email. Then we can let, all who could not attend know, what was actually missed - including me!

wade buchanan gallery@gallerynucleus.com
CONTACTS
Gallery Nucleus Presents
AMULET: BOOK TWO ARTIST PANEL & SIGNING
Saturday, September 12, 2009 (1 pm – 5 pm)
Admission is free. All-ages event.
Alhambra, CA – Gallery Nucleus invites you to join us as writer, artist, and Eisner Award Nominee Kazu Kibuishi discusses the process behind the latest release in the Amulet series as well as other current projects. Hear the artist read from the latest book as well as answer questions from fans and other aspiring artists. A signing of the new book will follow.
Also, register now for the much anticipated workshop “Storytelling for Comics & Film” instructed by artist Kazu Kibuishi. Through this seven week course beginning on Sept 15, Kibuishi will share his wealth of knowledge and firsthand experience. Learn more about taking your ideas and turning them into comics ready for publication. Each student will complete one 10-page comic by the end of the course. Learn more or register at www.gallerynucleus.com


SYNOPSIS TO BOOK TWO
Emily and Navin's mother is still in a coma from the arachnopod's poison, and there's only one place to find help: Kanalis, the bustling, beautiful city of waterfalls. But when Em, her brother, and Miskit and the rest of the robotic crew aboard the walking house reach the city, they quickly realize that seeking help is looking for trouble, dangerous trouble.

The Elf King's son, Trellis, is still after them, but this time he's accompanied by a mysterious and dangerous guard, Luger. Then an equally mysterious fox, Leon Redbeard, steps in to help. This new fox friend offers to take Em on the perilous trip up Demon's Head Mountain to find the antidote she needs. Miskit is suspicious, Navin is worried about being left behind, and Emily is in the toughest spot of all. She's got to let loose the power of the amulet—without losing herself!

More about the artist and praise for his work.
Born in Tokyo, Kazu Kibuishi is an American graphic novel author and illustrator. He is best known for his critically acclaimed Amulet series as well as being the creator and editor of the comic anthology Flight as well as creating the web comic Copper. The web comic artist and noted critic Scott McCloud has said that some of Kazu Kibuishi’s work is so beautifully drawn that “it hurts my hands when I look at it.”
More praise for Amulet:
“...Fans of Jeff Smith’s Bone will happily fret with the good guys and hiss at the baddies.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“ [The] action-packed adventure sequences move at an exciting clip...Part fantasy...and part manga, this has much to appeal to readers.” -- Booklist
“[S]tellar artwork, imaginative character design, moody color and consistent pacing...” -- PW Comics Week
Visit the artist’s website at www.boltcity.com
Event address and details
210 e. main st. alhambra, ca 91801
tel: 626.458.7477 fax: 626.458.7486
www.gallerynucleus.com
210 EAST MAIN ST. ALHAMBRA CA 91801 (626) 458 - 7482 www.gallerynucleus.com

Gill Harvey - Egyptian Chronicles:The Horned Viper Book Review

Book synopsis:
The Horned Viper is the second in a new series of four books set in Ancient Egypt. The Spitting Cobra, the first in the series, was published in August 2009. Two further instalments will be released in 2010. Each book is a well researched and atmospheric evocation of Egyptian life encased in an exciting adventure story. The boy and girl characters, Hopi and Isis, feature in each book and readers will be intrigued to follow their struggles for existence and adventure in Egypt circa 1150 BC. In this story, The Horned Viper, Isis and Hopi find themselves on the banks of the River Nile, pitting their wits against dangerous servants. 


Mr Ripley's Book Review
The authors love for Egypt is evident and allows the reader to feel and sense the events clearly, even without any prior knowledge of ancient Egypt. The book is written in the same vein as the debut book "Orphan of the Sun" which sets the characters headlong in to the world of Egypt, circa 1150 BC. The book develops around an adventure, following the characters of Hopi and Isis, overcoming dangerous enemies and their fears. The story flows like the River Nile; the historic culture of this book makes it an enjoyable read, with much more to be developed within the next few books. 
The other great feature of this book involves the factual and detailed notes which are included, these will help younger readers to enhance their understanding and interest of ancient Egypt. 
I give this book three out of five - only due to the short nature of the story, I wonder if some of the stories could have been compiled into two books rather than four?


Another recommended read is Marissa Moss - The Pharaoh's Secret - See book review. 


Egyptian Chronicle Series:
Book One     The Spitting Cobra  Published by Bloomsbury 3 August 2009
Book Two     The Horned Viper    Published by Bloomsbury 5 October 2009
Book Three   The Sacred Scarab  Published by Bloomsbury 1 February 2010
Book Four     The Deathstalker    Published by Bloomsbury 5 April 2010


About the Author
Gill Harvey studied French and Philosophy at Oxford. After experimenting with a number of careers, she eventually got a job as a writer/editor at Usborne Publishing in 1994. Five years later, and having reached the position of Senior Editor and completed an MA in Modern Literature, Gill decided to go freelance. Since then, writing has become a way of life. Her love of horses has resulted in eight of the Heartland titles for Scholastic Inc under the name of Lauren Brooke; she has also written a couple of Hodder Children's Books Animal Ark series as Lucy Daniels. A year spent commuting to Egypt led to the writing of Orphan of the Sun, Gill's first book for Bloomsbury.

New Books Out In The U.S In October 2009 - Patrick Carman

Patrick Carman - Ghost In The Machine (Skeleton Creek)
published by Scholastic Press October 1, 2009




Synopsis:Strange things are happening in Skeleton Creek...and Ryan and Sarah are trying to find out why. Ryan writes down everything in his journal, and Sarah records everything on her videocam. The two move deeper into the mystery they've uncovered, determined to discover the secrets buried in Skeleton Creek, in the conclusion to Patrick Carman's thrilling series.

In this groundbreaking format, the story is broken into two parts -- Ryan's text in the book, and Sarah's videos on a special website, with links and passwords given throughout the book.

New Books Out In The U.S In October 2009

These are some of the best picks due to be released in  the U.S in October. I will add more during this week.

Brandon sanderson - Published by Scholastic Press October 1, 2009
Alcatraz Versus The Knights Of Crystallia 

Synopsis:When Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to the Free Kingdom city of Crystallia, the Smedry home base, Alcatraz is shocked to see that he is, in fact, a legend. When he was a baby he was stolen by the Evil Librarians, and his mother, a Librarian herself, was behind the whole scheme. Now, with his estranged father, who is acting indeed strange, Bastille, who has been stripped of her armor, and Grandpa Smedry, who is, as always, late to everything (that's his Talent), Alcatraz tries to save a city under siege. From who? Why, the Librarians of course.

Jessica Meats - Child Of The Hive - Book Review

Mr Ripley's Review

Close your eyes and turn off all your senses . . . . .  all you should see is the blackest of black, even blacker than you thought possible, with voices (so many voices) all different, yet saying the same things. But your mind is telling you a thousand other things that you can't take in . . . . . what kind of place would you be in?
This book is a really interesting, debut Sci-Fi Fantasy teenage book which has been written incredibly well. It covers a great concept - if we ever get to the point where technology is developed to think for itself and function on its own, what would happen within this world for better or for worse. The action, which is on-going within the story develops the readers thinking all the way through the book. The characters are very well constructed and help to create the pace and build up within the middle section of the story. But then the story slows down somewhat to establish a gentler ending, which I thought perhaps needed more action and punch, like the start of the book. I found the general style of writing refreshing in its use of vivid and detailed description. I really connected to this book; its thought process and deployment of characters. I intend to read it again as I got a lot of out of it, and I don't say that everyday.
I give this book four out of five, as I would have liked some aspects of the story to have been sequenced slightly differently, in order to give maximum impact.

Book Published by Book Guild Publishing 30 Sep 2009

Book Synopsis:

Will is different... 'special'. He's a genius at maths and even though he's still at school studying for his A levels, he lives on his own in a dingy, run-down bed-sit and has to work at night to support himself. But there's something more that sets him apart - something he has to keep hidden from everyone, even his friends. Otherwise, he risks blowing his cover or, worse, losing his life…

Sophie is 'special' too. Deep in the bowels of a secret government facility she spends her days colouring in seemingly unfathomable patterns on endless sheets of graph paper, never speaking a word. To those around her she seems like a simpleton, but little do they suspect that she, like them, is fighting a secret war - a war against the deadly organization known as the Hive.

Set in a Britain of the near future, Child of the Hive is both a tense sci-fi thriller and a gripping philosophical exploration of what it means to be human in a world of ever-increasing technological sophistication. An unputdownable read.

About the Author

Jessica Meats grew up in Nottinghamshire and is a recent graduate in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of York, where she was a regular contributor to a university creative arts magazine. Today she works as a Technology Specialist.

Sharon Tregenza - Tarantula Tide - Book Review

Book Review By Mrs Ripley

I bought this book whilst at the Edinburgh book festival. I was intrigued by the bold, simple front cover which gave hints of Viking adventure and . . . .  spiders! Unable to wait, I read the whole book on my train  journey home. I was so glad of this great book, it was a welcome distraction to accompany me home. The first chapter set the tone well and introduced key aspects which were returned to and developed throughout the book. I thought the way the book addressed Jack and his inner turmoil was sensitive and didn’t shy away from his raw thoughts and feelings. The friendship between him and Izzie enabled a great adventure to take place, with unexpected twists and turns. I loved the atmosphere established on Shetland - laid back and familiar yet still full of adventure, especially concerning smuggling and the discovery of an exotic creature.
A great read and a book I would recommend - four out of five.

Published by Floris Books 16 Oct 2008


Synopsis

Smugglers. Vikings. Shetland should be a fascinating place for a holiday, but Jack is harbouring a secret and is less than enthusiastic to be there. Then he meets Izzie and her exotic pets and things soon start to get more interesting: Jack finds an unexpected visitor underneath the fridge; the wandering tramp is not what he seems, and each night a mysterious person waits on the beach outside Jack's cottage. But what do all these have to do with an unusual visitor named Octavia? Jack and Izzie unwittingly find themselves in the middle of a dangerous adventure, wondering what the next tide will bring to the land of the Viking Fire Festival. "Tarantula Tide" is the winner of the Kelpies Prize 2008.

About the Author

Sharon Tregenza was born and grew up in Cornwall. She currently lives with her husband in an old mill house on the Welsh border. She has an MA in Creative Writing and has had almost four hundred stories, poems and articles published worldwide. One of her poems has been included in Pan Macmillan's recent poetry anthology, There's a Hamster in the Fast Lane. She was inspired to set her book on Shetland when her husband worked on the island and she fell in love with the warm people and varied wildlife.

Neil Gaiman & Andy Kubert - Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?

Mr Ripley Say's

I was never a particularly big fan of comics and graphic novels, as a result I always stayed away from this format. But over the past year I have been drawn towards this media and have finally been persuaded by the illustrative lure expressing a story within its pages. Anyway to cut a long story short I was up in Edinburgh on the day of the Neil Gaiman event, where I was drawn to an area of the festival bookshop which had a nice collection of his books (some of the more popular titles and some not). After some time of perusing the books I got my hands on a nice Deluxe Edition (of the above title) and started to read this on my train journey back home. Unfortunately it remained unsigned, due to the incredibly long queue which took over three hours, by which time I had a train to catch! But hats off to Neil who persevered to sign for that amount of time.
The story is very good, I got into the spirit of the characters of the book really quickly and enjoyed every page. It actually left me feeling that Batman was an under-rated super hero! The images are particularly striking and work really well with the text. They capture your interest and allow you to delve deeper into the intended vision rather than the reader elaborating on a basic concept. A recommended read and a great book to have in any book collection.

Book Synopsis

Gotham City is plagued with crime and corruption in places high and low, but one man has taken a stand against evil of all forms: the dark avenger known as Batman. But now the Dark Knight is dead; apparently fallen at the hands of dying god Darkseid. "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader" is a captivating and mysterious tale, the likes of which Batman and friends have never experienced before. Delving into the realms of life, death and the afterlife, no stone is left unturned in this exploration of every facet and era of Bruce Wayne's life. Neil Gaiman, the multiple award-winning author of "Sandman" and "Coraline", is joined by legendary artist Andy Kubert ("Batman and Son") for the ultimate Batman story!

About the Author

Neil Gaiman is the most critically acclaimed comics writer alive and is the author of numerous bestselling books and graphic novels, winning countless awards. His best known work in comics is the epic Sandman series. Andy Kubert has long been one of comics' greatest talents, with work including both X-Men and Ultimate X-Men, Adam Strange, Captain America, 1602 and much more!

On My Travels To Scotland And Back

I have been very busy in the last few weeks, so I have had very little time to do any reading or to update this blog. It is at busy times like this that it would be great to have a helper. Anyway I took a visit to the Edinburgh book festival this last week and had a great time. Whilst there I had a look in the local section of the well-stocked festival bookshop and found some of the below titles which might take your fancy.

Sharon Tregenza - Tarantula Tide - Published by Floris Books 16 October 2008

About the book:

When one expects Vikings and barbarians and simply finds civilization, you'd expect to be underwhelmed. "Tarantula Tide" follows Jack as he finds himself vacationing in Shetland, a land with a history far more interesting than its present. When he meets Izzie, his vacation suddenly turns strange, as Jack's own private secrets may soon come to light. "Tarantula Tide" is a unique children's mystery, sure to please young adult readers.


Lari Don - Wolf Notes and Other Musical Mishaps - Published by Floris Books 28 August 2009

Synopsis:

Helen has won a place at a prestigious summer music school in remote north-western Scotland. But as she practises for a concert on Midsummer's Eve, her friends, the fabled beasts, prepare for battle - in the very forest where the young musicians are staying. When Yann the centaur arrives and warns Helen of impending danger, she is forced to cast her musical ambitions aside. Helen finds herself catapulted into a perilous quest, allied with fantastical creatures against a powerful enemy, the Faery Queen. She finds the mythical island of Tir nan Og, breaks the law and administers first aid to old friends and new ...but will it be enough to help her friends and save herself? This is the magical sequel to the bestselling "First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts".

Sam Wilding - The Second Gateway: Book Two of the Denthan Series - Published by Olida Publishing 19 April 2009 ( Still need to track this book down!)

Synopsis:

One year on, the zany villagers of Drumfintley are, yet again, all that stand between a peaceful world and certain disaster. When a whole new array of monsters and dark magic begin to emerge from the murky waters of Loch Echty all hell breaks loose. Beneath the Scottish loch, Mendel and James discover the submerged village of Fintley, a huge obelisk and a new crystal key. It is soon clear that they face a greater threat than ever before. In this, the second epic struggle to keep the Peck family together, some souls may be lost for good this time…

Will James, Craig and Bero still be able to save us all? Will Mendel, the wizard-goldfish, continue to outwit his oldest and greatest adversary? Will the second gateway take the villagers of Drumfintley on a one-way trip to catastrophe.



Douglas Bruton -The Chess Piece Magician - Published by Floris Books 10 Sep 2009

Synopsis:

When Corrie's family returns to Uig Bay on the Isle of Lewis for yet another miserable summer holiday, he has no idea of the incredible adventure that lies ahead. He finds a strange figurine on a windswept beach, which looks very like the ancient chess pieces found there centuries ago ...but this one has a magician's staff. Corrie makes friends with local girl, Kat, who tells him the island's legends - of a terrible sea serpent who summoned up never-ending winter, and of a powerful magician who finally banished him. When Corrie hears a voice in the night and the strange little figure starts to glow, he finds himself drawn into an incredible battle between good and evil. Douglas Bruton's brilliant first novel tells a fictional story behind the famed Lewis chessmen, which date from the 12th century and were found in Uig Bay in the 1830s. This gripping fantasy adventure will have both boys and girls on the edge of their seats.