A startlingly good review by site member lucyal99 kicks off this week's roundup, as we travel back to the 1930s in A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson. This book follows the life of Ellen Carr, the daughter of an English suffragette who is inspired to travel to Austria.
"Ibbotson, as always, manages to transport the reader, if not to a fantasy world, at least to a world full of enchantment, where it seems anything could happen. Her portrayal of all the characters, protagonists and antagonists alike, is fantastically unconventional, and throughout the book, her scene setting is truly perfect … Ibbotson is evidently a master at knowing just how much description to put into a scene, and this is what makes the book so special."
Continuing with the theme of adventure, BookieCookie wrote a superb review of Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. In this story Carter Kane and his younger sister Sadie travel the world with their Egyptologist Dad. However their world changes forever when he disappears and they are thrown into a world of Egyptian magic.
"This is a fast-paced adventure without a single dull moment; the author has done a brilliant job of packing in masses of facts about Ancient Egypt and combining them into a wonderfully exciting story. As well as all the action, the story is also about sacrificing your happiness for the greater good and the author cleverly shows you how Carter and Sadie's relationship changes as they help each other fend off danger."
Similarly adventurous, and with elements of magic, laurenthereader penned a terrific review of The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. This novel follows dreamwalker Paige as she vows to escape the evil clutches of the Rephaite.
"I have to admit that when I started this book, I was apprehensive as I was unsure whether I would like it; I was terribly but happily wrong. The Bone Season was one of the best books I've read in a long time; its characters were interesting and developed throughout, and I really enjoyed getting to know the setting and the world in which the clairvoyants lived."
Another review with hints of mystery (maybe it's the time of year!), Valentine sent in a wonderful review of Egg and Spoon by Gregory Maguire. This modern fairytale, set in Russia, follows Cat (a wealthy girl) and Elena (a peasant) when one day they accidentally switch places.
"I absolutely loved the elements of folklore in this book. From the firebird to an army of dragon-tooth soldiers and their animated matryoshka wives to an immortal hen, it makes for a cast of characters that seem to be lifted off the pages of a magnificent book … I liked the way that the story was narrated by a fairly minor character ... Slightly oddly, the book is marketed for young adults; I would say it's a good choice for readers 10 and up and all lovers of lively, original fantasy."
On a lighter note, we move to a delightful review by the Imagine Festival Ideas Cloud of Barry Loser: I am Still Not a Loser by Jim Smith. In one of the collection of short stories, Barry gets into mischief by dressing up his friend for Halloween by drawing a million and one dots on his face.
"This book is written like a diary and the main character is Barry … I would really recommend this book. If you like hilarious, amazing and outstanding stories this book is just for you."
Last (but no means least!) we end this week with something for our fact fanatics. Booktrain125 wrote an amazing review of Our Amazing Planet: The World in Infographics by Jon Richards and Ed Simkins. This book uses infographics to describe everything from the human body to space and the universe.
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its infographics ... For me the most interesting section was the human body section because it had lots of quirky facts that I didn't know … If you want a book that's filled with interesting information presented in a entertaining way then you need Our Amazing Planet! I recommend this book for 9+ because some of the words and diagrams are quite complicated."
That's it folks! Thanks for sending in such brilliant reviews. If your review has been picked by the children's books team, be sure to email the Book Elves to claim your booky prize!
Happy reading!
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