happy new year everyone...

Well, it's the end of another year and the St Kilda & Albert Park clubs are taking a break for a while - but we'll still be around to publish any reviews you want to send us! So just write your review in the comment space below or email your review to library@portphillip.vic.gov.au - just add Lightning Readers book review in the subject line!

Have a wonderful new year everybody, from all of us at the Port Phillip Library Service!

Albert Park reviews for December

Harry Potter and the goblet of fire by K. J. Rowling - reviewed by Jo

My favourite thing about the Harry Potter series is that you never know what will happen – it never repeats itself.  In all the Harry Potter books there is always a problem and usually starts at the beginning of the school year.  He participates in a race and something unexpected happens.  I like it because it’s full of adventures. I recommend it for 8-12 year olds.

Rated: 4 billion/5!

The slightly true story of Cedar B. Hartley by Martine Murray - reviewed by Emma 

This book is about a girl - Cedar B. Hartley - who is almost 13 years old.  She lives alone with her mum, her older brother has runaway and her father died when she was one.  She meets Kite, a boy who is into the circus and acrobatics.  They become good friends and start training together.  She is happy to have Kite as her friend because it’s only her and her mum who she doesn’t see much as she works until late.  It’s funny in places and sort of written like a diary and has doodles.  It would be like how I would write a diary. 

Rated:  5/5 - "I would recommend it for 11+ because some of the themes in the book are more for older kids".

Horton hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss - reviewed by Alex G. 

Horton is splashing in a pool when he hears a voice from a speck of dust.  It turns out that there is a whole village - Whoville - living on this speck of dust and Horton vows to protect them.  When the other animals in the jungle don’t believe in the existence of Whoville they try to get rid of the dust by throwing it into a field of clovers.  Horton faces a difficult search.  When he finally finds the speck of dust he has to prove to the other animals that Whoville really exists.  Every member of Whoville has to be as loud as possible.  It’s funny with lively illustrations and a bit scary.

Rated:  5/5

Deltora Quest - the whole first series - by Emily Rodda - reviewed by Annabelle 

The main characters are Lief, Jasmine, Barda, a raven called Kree and Filli, a ball of fur with eyes and a tail.  Their quest is to save Deltora, their homeland.  They have to find the 7 gems that go on the Deltora belt so that they can drive out the evil Shadowland.  Barda and Lief go to the Forest of Silence where evil birds were hovering when all the gems went missing.  The gems are under the watchful eye of the evil guardians.  I liked this book because it is set in a faraway land, lots of evil characters and a quest that comes close to failing which keeps the story interesting.  The Deltora Quest series is for people who like adventure, danger and ups and downs.

Rated:  5/5

St Kilda reviews for December

Ruby Redfort : look into my eyes by Lauren Child - reviewed by Ally

Ruby’s a 13 year old girl and she gets into a spy agency. She’s the code cracker in the agency. The spy agency knows there’s going to be a robbery in the bank but actually they're just doing that to distract the people so they can steal the jade buddha that has come all the way from China. If you stare into its eyes at the stroke of midnight it will halve your age and double your wisdom.

Rated:  5 reallys

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon - reviewed by Charlie 

It's about a 15 year old who understands maths but not human beings. If he sees five red cars, it’s going to be a good day, but five yellow cars means it won’t be.

Rated:  5 reallys - "My mum read it and suggested that I read it - she enjoyed it a lot. I thought it was good, the best of the best."

Winter's shadow by M. J. Hearle - reviewed by Georgia

It’s about a girl called Winter who goes out to an old church to take some photos for a newspaper. She takes a photo of an old guy in a graveyard. The church collapses and a beam falls on her. She is knocked out. There is a boy who lives in a haunted house where there is something dangerous upstairs behind a door. The boy is called Blake and he helps her.

Rated: 5 reallys - "I loved it, it had a really good ending. There is another one coming, a sequel."

A little history of the world by E. H. Gombrich - reviewed by Noah

A very good book. Gives you a lot of information about the history of the world, about life, Vikings, Egypt, the Turks, Chinese, the age of gunpowder.

Rated: 5 reallys - "Dad bought it and read it and then gave it to me to read. If you are looking for non-fiction then I really recommend it."