Bounce (5) received Crikey Cat, here is his review:
Bounce 'read' the book to give me this synopsis:
There are no stars in the sky so it's not really light. It's all dark and everyone wakes up then someone makes stars and puts them in the sky. Cat runs away and goes up a tree and a big bird comes. And then the owner says, "come on cat, come on Crikey, here comes a storm! Hurry, hurry we will be safe in here". Then there's no stars. Then there's stars and Crikey says, "very nice."
My favourite part of the book is when the stars come out of the sky because I would have picked up a star and kept it. Uh, oh what is cat doing? Oh look at the rainbow in the back and it's different in the front. Anyway, it was all at night.
My question is why is there a camel?
details - Allen&Unwin, June 2014, $29.99 AU, also available as an ebook
and Flip, 8, (who was born in London) received Mr Chicken Lands on London, here is his review:
Mr Chicken lands in the river Thames and he went to his favourite hotel the Savoy. He goes to his own room that he reserved which is called 'the River View Deluxe Room'. He visits the queen and there is a flag with his self on it. He caught the underground and he standed with Lord Nelson and he got to squeeze into the national gallery.
I liked it in the book - when he rides the London Eye he looks really funny and he plays eye-spy on the London eye! I like the map at the front of all the places he passes. I like it that he goes outside every night.
My question is how many days did he stay in London?
details - Allen&Unwin, June 2014, $24.99 AU
I really enjoyed both these books. I love the illustrations of Crikey Cat - the have a real freedom and fluidity and the blues are just gorgeous!
Mr Chicken was both funny and really covered off some of London's top spots which is a nice wander down memory lane, having lived there for a while.
It's been fun for me to engage the boys with the review process. When a book arrives 'for them' I tell them that this book has been sent especially to use because the publishers are interested in what they think of the book. It leads to fun discussions together and reading texts in new ways.
Even if you don't receive books for reviewing these kind of questions can be fun for children to add to their experience of a book...
who is the best character in the book?
what part is funny?
are there any parts that you don't like?
why do you like this book?
how do you think they made the illustrations?
which page is your favourite and why?
what questions would you like to ask the author/illustrator?
have you ever read any other books that remind you of this one?
of course reading for the sheer pleasure of reading should always be the main point - that's the way I see it anyway.
love you more than special mail xxx
