December reviews from Albert Park

The emerald casket by Richard Newsome - reviewed by Alex G.

The main character Gerard is a boy who finds out he has inherited his great aunties fortune and a secret that has been in his family for hundreds of years involving a secret casket. Sir Mason Green, Gerard's enemy, is looking for the casket. When Gerard and his friends find out they decide to go after him. They end up going on adventures.

Rated: 5/5 – "Mysterious ending - it makes you want to read the next one. Really good!"

Prince of Elves : bk. 5, Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi - reviewed by Tiana

This book is a graphic novel. Emma inherits a stone, but then it is stolen by a boy called Max, leader of the elves who are trying to take over a city. Max guards the Elf-King and the stone will help the king destroy the city. There is something in the book called ‘The Void’, if you are dreaming (in the void) of dying then it will really happy.

Rated: 5/5 – "Interesting - I like this sort of book, fantasy and adventure."

The Wishing chair again by Enid Blyton - reviewed by Zoe

Molly, Peter and Chinky go on lots of adventures in their chair which grows wings whenever they are on holiday. I like it because it’s funny and mysterious.

Rated: 5/5

Blood Fever : bk. 2, Young Bond series by Charlie Higson - reviewed by Alex W.

James Bond is studying at Eton. He is looking forward to going on summer camp with his school to Sardinia. There he visits his uncle’s house which is shaped like an octopus and filled with lots of art. While he is there a girl is kidnapped and his uncle's art is stolen. James Bond investigates.

Rated: 5/5 - "Really good because it gets into the story really quickly."

I’m too fond of my fur! by Geronimo Stilton - reviewed by Leticia

Geronimo is a mouse, he has a friend, Professor von Holt, who is in the Himalayas. Geronimo gets a phone call that the Professor is in danger. Geronimo hates travelling but decides to go and find the Professor. He climbs Mouse Everest and sees Yeti footsteps but nobody believes him. Then Geronimo gets kidnapped by the Yeti. It turns out that the Yeti has kidnapped the Professor as well because he wants someone to heal his sick son. Near the end they find a frozen mammoth.

Rated: 5/5 – "Because I like the Geronimo Stilton series."

Down and out down under by Geronimo Stilton - reviewed by Lulu

Geronimo goes on an adventure in Australia. First to Sydney to visit Bondi and the Opera House. Then he goes surfing and he gets stung by a jellyfish. He goes to Western Australia and swims with dolphins and then visits Uluru.

Rated: 4/5 – "It was okay, but it’s not as good as the others."

Catch your death : bk. 3, Ruby Redfort series by Lauren Child

Ruby is 13 and really smart, she works for a spy company. She has to go on a survival camp for her work. At the camp she has to fetch and tether a horse, but fails because she takes too long. She loses her glasses and cuts her foot and finally gets the flu!

Rated: 4½/5 – "It’s a good book!"

Crispin Scales and the golden pearls by Ruby Blessing - reviewed by Ben

It is about a dragon who gets attacked by the evil King Gary and his dragon Lux. His friend the Princess Marlo is kidnapped at the same time. The dragon has a golden pearl ripped out of his chest, this turns him into a human but with scales down his back. He lives in a place called The Realm and it is only a fragment that, through portals, can lead you to other realms. He needs to go through these to find the Princess and go after King Gary and Lux.

Rated: 4½/5 – "There is pain and violence, which I like."

November reviews from Albert Park

The teenage years : bk. 1, Dark Lord series by Jamie Thomson - reviewed by Ben

Dirk Lloyd is a 13 year old boy and he has a secret... he is the Dark Lord (the ruler of Darklands). He has been thrown into modern day England by his enemy’s spell and is trapped inside the body of this teenager. Along the way, he makes friends and they help to cast a spell to transport him back to his homeland. Not everything goes to plan…

Rated 5/5: "I like fantasy and it is also kinda funny with funny illustrations".

The wishing chair by Enid Blyton - reviewed by Zoe

Zoe reviewed the same book as last month, but talked about the chapter she has just read. The adventure continues of the magical wishing chair that has wings and flies Peter, Mollie and Chinky the pixie everywhere. This time it’s to the village of The Slipperies, who are cheeky and trick you.

Rated 5/5: "I like it because it is adventurous."

Locked in : bk. 1, Monstrum House series by Z. Faillon - reviewed by Alex G.

Jasper McPhee has been expelled from school because he is naughty, and is sent to The Monstrum House School for Troubled Children. This is no ordinary military school. Teachers seem to be able to read minds, but he thinks they’re 'cuckoo'. Lessons are all about hunting monsters and being hunted. There are also characters like the 'Thug Brigade', who are guards that have no brains (literally), and the Snobbleshriek, who hides under the bed and can scare you to death, and Bogglemorph, who can change into different people!

Rated 5/5: "It is the second time I’ve read this book. I’ve enjoyed it even more this time, as there are more things to discover that I didn’t notice the first time. It’s a cool book!"

Four children and It by Jacqueline Wilson - reviewed by Emma 

This is based on the classic E. Nesbit book 'Five Children and It'. Basically 4 children are brought together as Dad has remarried. They go for a picnic in the woods and whilst digging in the sandpit discover a magical sand fairy. On the discovery of 'It', wishes are granted every day to the children when they visit. This magical creature brings the family together and they realise they can get along in the end.

Rated 4/5: "It was interesting... it's based on a classic but with a twist."

Thea Stilton and the secret city by Geronimo Stilton - reviewed by Lulu

Paulina gets a call from her home in Peru saying that her archaeologist friend is missing and so the Thea Sisters go to Peru to solve the mystery. They travel up the Andes Mountains. They are scared of a bird (condor), which the whole village is scared of, that blocks their path... they find out that the 'condor' is a machine and they also discover a secret city and door, which leads to the treasure of  the city!

Rated 5/5: "I love how the Thea Sisters have great adventures!"

At this point the group had fun trying to spell out the word 'ARCHAEOLOGIST'.

The 39-storey treehouse by Andy Griffiths - reviewed by Alex W.

The book has 13 fun stories, with 13 new levels to read about. It continues from the the '26-storey treehouse' and the '13-storey treehouse'. It has a 'once upon a time machine', a boxing elephant called the Trunkinator, and one storey (the 39^th) level that has not been finished yet!

Rated 4/5: "I liked the two characters Terry and Andy. Terry is relaxed and Andy is always stressed out. I enjoyed reading about their funny adventures."

Geronimo's valentine by Geronimo Stilton - reviewed by Leticia

 

Geronimo Stilton has a crush on Petunia Pretty Paws. He has asked her on a date on valentine’s day. He’s hired a tuxedo and a fancy car.

Geronimo is late, as a fish has been dropped on his head, he has stepped on a banana peel and he has ripped his pants. So not only does he smell bad, but he is very late for his date! His friend Hercule Poirat has called, as he has a cheesecake mystery to solve and he needs his help to find the most famous painting in New Mouse City (of the first chocolate cheesecake). The richest person in the city has the painting... and along the way Geronimo has  to test 100 cheesecakes. He forgets it’s his birthday, and a very special cake is given to him... guess what it is? It’s a giant cheesecake (oh no!).. He gets to share it with his love, Petunia, at the end.

Rated 5/5: "I like Geronimo Stilton and this one as it’s romantic. I like this series as it has lots of adventures."