Great
Britain
39
Dodd, Emma (text/illus.)
What pet to get?
Dorking, Surrey : Templar Publ.,
2006. – [32] p.
ISBN 978-1-84011-517-8
Pet
– Selection – Imagination
A pet is exactly what Jack needs, but which animal should he select as
his favourite companion? Although his mother is not opposed to the idea in
general, she always finds some fault with her eager son’s perfectly sensible
suggestions of an elephant, a lion, or a Tyrannosaurus Rex. (»That would have
been a great idea, dear […] but unfortunately [it] has been extinct for
sixty-five million years.«) In a witty way, the energetic, computer-generated
double-page illustrations in bright colours visualise both the child’s
over-sized imagi-native friends and the mother’s pragmatically-induced
objections. Parents should be careful: The
jocular text and bold pictures just might inspire little would-be pet-owners
in their own search for a perfect friend. (4+)
40
Kennen, Ally
Beast
London [et al.] : Marion Lloyd Books,
2006. – 247 p.
ISBN 978-0-439-95104-3
Teenager
– Foster home – Criminal record – Crocodile – Secret – Murder
For years, Stephen has been living with various foster families and
committing quite a few petty crimes ranging from theft to vandalism to arson.
Yet his most desperate plan to date involves cruel murder. The victim of this
horrible deed, however, is not disclosed to the readers right away; through
small clues in the engaging first-person narration, readers slowly learn that
the victim is a vicious crocodile that the boy has kept hidden in a storage
lake for the past six years. The 17-year-old realises that it is high time
that he got rid of the dangerous beast – but this is easier said than done.
Written in an authentic voice, this thrilling story focuses on the foster
boy’s painful memories and everyday problems, as well as his struggles to
free himself of the beast and of his unhappy past. (14+)
41
MacRae, Tom (text)
Odriozola, Elena (illus.)
The opposite
London : Andersen Press, 2006. – [28] p.
ISBN 1-84270-482-6
(US ed. by Peachtree Publ., 2006)
Boy
– Creature – Mischief
Under normal circumstances, Nate is a tidy little boy, good at pouring his
milk at breakfast and painting neat pictures at school. But the day when »The
Opposite« happens isn’t a normal day at all – in fact, it’s quite the
opposite. Milk gets spilled and paint is splashed everywhere by the
mischievous creature, and poor Nate gets all the blame; but only until the boy
comes up with an ingenious idea to get rid of the troublemaker. Spanish
illustrator Elena Odriozola’s trademark illustrations are rendered in
cheerful watercolours. The lanky figures, dressed in brightly patterned
clothes and set against white or pastel-coloured backgrounds, make this
hilariously quirky story come alive for young and old readers alike. (3+) ¤
42
Rayner, Catherine (text/illus.)
Augustus and his smile
London : Little Tiger Press, 2006.
– [28] p.
ISBN 1-84506-282-5
Tiger
– Smile – Loss – Search – Happiness
Poor Augustus has lost his smile and no matter where the mighty tiger searches
for it, whether he climbs to the tops of the highest trees or dives into the
deep blue ocean, his smile is nowhere to be found. Yet then it starts raining
– pitter, patter, drip, drop, plop! – and the joyful sound makes the
stripy animal realise that happiness (and his smile) is everywhere around him
if he just opens his eyes and heart to it. The succinct and poetical text of
this tale merges almost inconspicuously with the vibrant mixed-media
illustrations. Shown from varying perspectives reminiscent of film techniques,
the sprightly tiger bounces through wide-open coloured or white spaces
inviting young readers to share his adventures. (Booktrust Early Years Awards,
Best New Illustrator; 2006) (4+) ¤
Special Mention
43
Reeve, Philip (text)
Wyatt, David (illus.)
Larklight or the revenge of the white spiders!
or to Saturn’s rings and back! : a rousing tale of dauntless pluck in the
farthest reaches of space
London : Bloomsbury Publ., 2006. – 399 p.
ISBN 978-0-7475-8240-3
Space
– Spider – Attack – Siblings – Escape – Adventure
This historical science-fiction novel takes its readers on a breathtaking
flight through space. When Larklight, a ramshackle old house floating along
the orbit around the moon and the home of British siblings Art and Myrtle, is
suddenly at-tacked by elephant-sized evil spiders, they see only one chance of
survival. Their escape in a »Daedalus Lifeboat« marks the beginning of many
misfortunes, which include crashing unto the surface of the moon, being stung
and »canned« by huge moths as food for their voracious larvae, or being
rescued by the infamous space pirate Jack Havock. Set in the Victorian era (with
a few sci-fi twists) and told in a dryly humorous first-person narration, the
book can be enjoyed on several levels. While young adults will savour the
numerous allusions to and jokes about famous scientists and writers, children
will be captivated by the gripping and utterly silly adventures. Detailed
pen-and-ink drawings perfectly capture the fantastical mood of the story.
(10+)
44
Webb, Beth
Star dancer : the book of air
London : Macmillan Children’s Books, 2006. – 342 p.
ISBN 978-1-4050-9175-6
Village
– Danger – Girl – Destiny – Druid – Rescue
The night that Tegen is born, stars are dancing across the sky to welcome her
into the world, just as it was prophesied by the goddess. Yet though Witton,
the chief druid, suspects that this girl (and not a boy) must be the promised
»Star Dancer« who alone will be able to protect their people against evil,
he closes his eyes against this unwelcome truth until it is almost too late.
At the age of 16, Tegen slowly begins to realise her powers and is finally
acknowledged by the old druid. The absorbing narrative of this fantasy novel,
the first part of a quartet, whisks readers away into a world full of
superstition, ancient spirits, intrigue, and mysterious powers in which a girl
must struggle to fulfil her destiny against all odds. (12+)