Reviews from Albert Park - October

The very bad book by Andy Griffiths

This has lots of ‘bad’ stories and riddles eg: Goldilocks but with a twist. It is very funny and easy to read. Recommend to anyone between about 7-12

4 ½ stars

Reviewed and rated by Stephanie

Feather and bone by Lazlo Strangolov

The book was a bit gruesome. It is about a chicken farm that has been shut down for a long time, but now has mysteriously re-opened and is operating again and no-one knows why. Kamil and his friend Flory investigate why it’s running but without any chickens. It’s a bit weird, recommend for over 10’s.

4 ½ stars

Reviewed and rated by Simone

Sophie’s world by Jostein Gaarder

It is Sophie’s journey into Western philosophy. A bit challenging, I have to go back over and re-read parts or stop and think about what it means. I haven’t finished yet but will keep reading it. It is an adult book so recommend for older readers about 10 and over.

Reviewed and rated by Emma (no score yet still reading book)

Catching fire: the hunger games, book 2 by Suzanne Collins

This is the second book in The Hunger Games series and Katniss is now into the second round of the games where people are reluctantly forced to participate in. The same rules as in the first kill or face death! For 10+

4 ¾ stars

Reviewed and rated by Ava

Boy vs Beast

Boy vs Beast is by the same concept creators of Zac Power. Kai Masters has to battle various monsters and must choose the right weapon to fight them with. I really liked the book. For over 6’s .

5 stars

Reviewed and rated by Matthew

Utterly me, Clarice Bean by Lauren Child

Clarice’s friend doesn’t like her anymore, so Clarice does things to make her like her again. Also at home Clarice has a new baby brother who she doesn’t like.

4 ½ stars

Reviewed and rated by Riley

The tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

About a mouse named Despereaux Tilling born with extremely large ears, all of his brothers and sisters think he is very strange. One of the rules that all mice have to follow is to not talk to humans. But Despereaux discovers that there are two people he likes talking to, this makes him different to the other mice.

5 stars

Reviewed and rated by Alex

The Milly-Molly-Mandy storybook by Joyce Lankester Brisley

Milly-Molly-Mandy has lots of friends a big family and lots of adventures. This book has the whole series in it.

5 stars

Reviewed and rated by Charlotte

House of many ways by Diana Wynne Jones

It is about a girl named Charmaine who goes to look after her great-uncle's house. Her uncle has to go away because he is sick, he is also a wizard. From the outside the house appears to only have two rooms but with magic has much more. She also gets to work in a king's library. For 9+.

5 stars

Reviewed and rated by Emma

A Stone in my hand by Cathryn Clinton

Malaak is eleven years old and lives in Gaza. The year is 1988 during the first Intifada. Her father disappears while searching for work in Israel which traumatises the family. With her mother in stress and older brother succumbing to extremism, Malaak retreats speaking to no-one. She only finds solace with a dove named Abdo who she has tamed. If the family is to survive and her brother kept away from violence it is up to Malaak to stop him.

5 stars

Reviewed and rated by Kerstin


This book review set off discussion about similar books that the kids had read - all which had to be read for school but which they enjoyed and kept reading even when they didn’t have to.

Parvana by Deborah Ellis

Parvana lives in Afghanistan and after her father disappears, she has to dress up as a boy so she can earn money for her family. Under the Taliban women are unable to leave the house unless they are with a male relative. She works as a translator and letter writer at the market and befriends another girl who is also dressed as a boy. Her mother also secretly teaches girls and publishes a secret underground magazine for women as women are not allowed to be educated or work. This places them in great danger. For older readers about 11+.

4 ½ stars

Reviewed and rated by Ava

No gun for Asmir by Christobel Mattingley

There is a war raging in Bosnia and Asmir and his family have to hide in different places so they won’t get killed. They then have to escape and become refugees in Vienna. Asmir must also leave his father behind. Based on a true story.

4 ¼

Reviewed and rated by Simone

Life is beautiful by Roberto Benigni & Vincenzo Cerami

About a Jewish father and his son sent to a concentration camp during WW2. The father tries to pretend to his son that they are not in a concentration camp and protect him from the horror of the camp. The father ends up dying there.

3 stars

Reviewed and rated by Stephanie

Patterns of reading

The St Kilda Lightning Readers club had a discussion in October about patterns of reading and posed the question:

"Do you read a book to the end or do you stop if you’re not enjoying it?"

Jonathon – reads to the end –  "it’s ‘like a duty’"

Noah – reads to the end too – "one part may be bad but one part might be good"

Antonia – reads to the end of the 2nd last chapter – if that’s okay she keeps going but if it isn’t she puts it back on the shelf, but if it’s really bad straight away she will still read halfway through it before she gives up

Oliver – reads to the end – he feels like he has to finish

Max – "if I don’t like it I usually put it down for about 3 weeks then I might read it again or switch books"

Oriana – "if I don’t like a book halfway through then I pick up another book – then maybe I might pick it up again and somehow it is good again."

Lily – "if I don’t like what I’m reading I’ll skip ahead and if it gets better I will read it."

Book reviews from St Kilda - October

Reviewed by Jonathon:

Jack Flint and the dark ways by Joe Donnelly

This is the third book in the Jack Flint series. It’s about a boy called Jack who is in this world trying to find his father. Somebody is trying to kill Jack because Jack has a heart-stone which can open hell. Very exciting. Lots of action.

3.8 reallys

Reviewed by Oliver:

The Fall - 7th book in the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore

It’s about teenagers 17-18 years old, they are orphans. James Adams is the main character. He needs to find out who this person in Russia is who is selling secret weapons to the British Army. Plan goes awry and he has to get out of Russia alive.

4 reallys

Reviewed by Max:

The hunger games by Suzanne Collins

This is about a girl who is “really, really, really, really poor” and a boy in a bakery. When her dad dies the boy in the bakery helps her by giving her bread. The girl and the boy end up in “the hunger games”. Everyone has to kill each other and see who wins. The person who wins doesn’t have to do it anymore and gets really rich. It is all about survival but there is a lot of violence.

5 reallys




Reviewed by Noah:

Moldfinger: bk. 5, The disgusting adventures of Fleabag Monkeyface by Knife & Packer

Noah read the introduction for us which explains how Fleabag Monkeyface is created. This is about 3 boys Gerald, Gene and Fleabag, who are making the worlds biggest salad. The plot involves the growing of mouldy mushrooms and the 'dark character' Sir Godfrey. Noah said it’s a bit of a rip off from James Bond, eg. Moldfinger etc. There is romance, action and comedy.

5 reallys


Reviewed by Oriana:

Toby and the secrets of the tree: second book in the Toby alone series by Timothee de Fombelle

I liked it because it has adventures and risks. Toby ran away from people trying to catch him. Years later someone recognises him even though he was disguised as a ‘grass’ person. Toby tries to strike a deal the next night at midnight. He told the ‘grass’ people otherwise tiger (evil) would probably kill them. Toby leads them out to safety.

5 reallys


Reviewed by Antonia:

The mysterious Benedict Society and the perilous journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

I really liked it – it is very interesting. It is like a spy novel. Children go and become spies ‘cause there is a certain quality about them. – not the usual qualities like stealthiness or anything. They are not like typical spy people. When they’ve been kidnapped it is like mr benedict had a plan for them. I love the way they have set out the book.

4.85 reallys (it lost a few points because there was a little bit of a creepy bit at the start)

Reviewed by Lily:

Diamond girls by Jacqueline Wilson (her favourite author!)

They are moving at the start. Their mum keeps saying “it’s a really nice house”. The children don’t want to go. They are Rachelle, Jude, Martine and Dixie. Martine has a boyfriend who lives next door. Their mum is pregnant and they don’t want to go until she has had the baby. When they do move the house has rubbish everywhere. Someone has puked in the sink, ants and dirt cover the bathroom. They have to clean the house up. The back garden is like a forest.