Time Riders Book 5: Gates of Rome by Alex Scarrow
Published February 2012 Penguin
From the publisher:
Project Exodus - a mission to transport 300 Americans from 2070 to ad 54 to overthrow the Roman Empire - has gone catastrophically wrong. Half have arrived seventeen years earlier, during the reign of Caligula.
Liam goes to investigate, but when Maddy and Sal attempt to flee a kill-squad sent to hunt down their field office all of the TimeRiders become trapped in the Roman past.
Armed with knowledge of the future, Caligula is now more powerful than ever. But with their office unmanned - and under threat - how will the TimeRiders make it back to 2001 and put history right?
I love this series, but whenever I try to explain it, I feel it comes across as more confusing than it actually is. If you don't know the series, I will give you the basics.
Lily Alone by Jacqueline Wilson
Published February 2012 Random House
From the publisher:
Lily isn't home ALONE - but she sort of wishes she was; looking after her three
younger siblings is a lot of responsibility. When Mum goes off on holiday with
her new boyfriend and her stepdad fails to show up, Lily is determined to keep
the family together and show they can cope without any grown-ups. But taking
care of 6-year-old twins, her 3-year-old sister and the family's flat feels
overwhelming and Lily is worried that school or social services might discover
their situation and break up the family. What could be better than to take all
the little ones for a camping adventure in the park? Plenty of space to run
about, no carpet to vacuum, and surely no chance anyone will guess they're there
. . .
There is no doubt...girls LOVE Jacqueline Wilson. From about age 11 and on they can't get enough of her. Her books can be bleak and confronting...but they are hard to put down.
Hey Jack! The Robot Blues by Sally Rippin
Published February 2012 Hardie Grant Egmont
From the publisher:
The only thing that the 'B' in Billie B Brown DOESN'T stand for is BOY! In response to demands from the market, industry, children, parents AND teachers we are BURSTING with pride to introduce the coolest, the funniest, the most imaginative dude that the early reader scene has ever seen...
Jack is invited to a costume party, and he's made an awesome robot suit. But what if the other kids at the party think it's lame?
If you have read any of the Billie B Brown series, then you know Jack. Jack is Billie's friend and neighbour. Billie B Brown has been such a popular series because it really filled a gap in the 'first novel' market. Hey Jack! will do the same for boys. They are thin, just over 40 pages, there are illustrations scattered throughout, the font is large and easy to read, but it's a novel and has chapters!
Ships In The Field by Susanne Gervay and Anna Pignataro
Published February 2012 Ford Street Publishing
From the publisher:
In a unique collaboration, Susanne and Anna have created a moving and significant picture book, Ships in the Field. It crosses boundaries in a universal recognition that children are part of the journey of war, migration, loss and healing. Through warmth, humour, pathos and story within story, it breaks the silence, engaging children, families and community.
The little girl in this story is the daughter of migrants, who have had to leave their country to escape war. Her father was a farmer, her mother a teacher, but in this new country her father works in a factory and her mother is a seamstress. Throughout the narrative of the family's day to day life we also see double page spreads of the life her parents left behind. The name of the country they left is not mentioned in the book, the point being I guess, that it doesn't matter where you have come from, everyone who has to leave their country leaves something of themselves behind. The challenge is, to find yourself again in your new home and finding a way to keep your country with you.
Slog's Dad by David Almond and Dave McKean
Published January 2012 Walker Books
From the publisher:
Do you believe there’s life after death? Slog does. He reckons that the scruffy bloke sitting outside the pork shop is his dad come back to visit him for one last time – just like he’d said he would, just before he died. Slog’s mate Davie isn’t convinced. But how does this man know everything Slog’s dad would know? Because Slog says it really is his dad, that’s how.
At 61 pages, this is not a big book, it is a short story. A short story, that weaves text and the illustrations of a graphic novel. As with many books where the illustrations make up a significant amount of the book, we find the illustrations telling us another side of the story, a side we don't see in the text.
The Lunar Chronicles Book 1: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Published December 2011 Penguin
From the publisher:
CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.
Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.
One month into my year of reading, and I have already been surprised by so many of the books I have read. This is another, a surprise because I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. Imagine...Cinderella living in the future city of New Beijing. Yes, she is in many ways just like the Cinderella we know and love, she has an evil stepmother and two step-sisters, she is downtrodden and taken advantage of...but this Cinder is a cyborg.
Well, one month down, 31 books read...only 11 months and 335 books to go...easy!
Yesterday I had the most visits to my blog that I have had so far, so thank you to my readers whoever you are.
It makes it very satisfying to know that people are actually interested in reading what I have to say, and I am not just doing it to make myself crazy.
Here are some of my highlights from January:
