Category Archives: adventure

Melowy #2 The song of the moon

May 7, 2018 by mstuart720

Danielle Star Scholastic Inc ISBN 9781338151763 RRP $12.99 Publication date May 2018 Age 7+ Reviewer Megan Stuart A magical land called Aura which is home to winged horses with colourful manes and coats called Pegasuses. Some have a special symbol on their wings and these have magical powers and means they must attend school at the Castle of Destiny. This is a recipe which must surely fire the dreamy imagination of thousands of 2nd – 3rd graders world wide. The […]

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, Illustrated, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic Inc • Tags: Junior Novel, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic Inc

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Miniwings Firestorm’s musical muck-up

May 7, 2018 by mstuart720

Sally Sutton Kirsten Richards Scholastic ISBN 9781775434863 RRP $14.99 Publication date May 2018 Age 7+ Reviewer Megan Stuart The fourth book in the popular Miniwings series is here for readers reintroducing the tiny winged toy horses that only come to life when adults are not watching. These books bring likeable characters, colourful illustrations and a good strong plot together. A great series.

Categories: adventure, fantasy, Illustrated, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic Inc • Tags: fantasy, Junior Novel, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic

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Prisoner of ice and snow

January 6, 2018 by mstuart720

Ruth Lauren Bloomsbury ISBN 9781408872758 RRP $12.99 Date of publication October 2017 Age 9+ Reviewer Megan Stuart A stolen music box, a freezing prison from which apparently there is no escape, a disgraced family, twin sisters and an unsolved mystery. This is a book of intrigue and action with strong female role models.

Categories: adventure, Bloomsbury Children's Books, Middle Grade, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart • Tags: action, Bloomsbury, Reviewer - Megan Stuart

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The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone

January 6, 2018 by mstuart720

Jaclyn Moriarty Allen & Unwin ISBN 9781760297176 RRP $22.99 Date of publication 25th October 2017 Age 10 – 14 ebook available Reviewer Megan Stuart Such a delightful and enjoyable read which takes you with the heroine Bronte Mettlestone on a quest to some bizarre places and to meet some intriguing characters… many of whom are strong and independent women. A great read which will empower the spirit and feed the imagination. It also has a thoroughly satisfactory ending too. Highly […]

Categories: adventure, Allen & Unwin, Children's Books, Children's Recommended Read, fantasy, humour, Illustrated, Middle Grade, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart • Tags: ebook available, humour, Illustrated, Reviewer - Megan Stuart

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Show stopper

January 6, 2018 by mstuart720

Hayley Barker Scholastic UK ISBN 9781407179674 RRP $16.99 Date of publication October 2017 Age Young Adult Reviewer Megan Stuart The opening chapters paint a depressing picture (set sometime in the future) of life in a circus where the performers have been sold into the life by their impoverished parents. These children are overworked, underfed and suffer at the hands of the ringmaster. However the heroine Hoshiko emerges as brave, compassionate and talented. Enter Ben, whose mother (a high ranking government […]

Categories: action, adventure, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic Inc, Young Adult • Tags: Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic UK, Young Adult

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D-Bot Squad Series #1 Dino Hunter

July 2, 2017 by mstuart720

Mac Park (Louise Park and Susannah McFarlane) James Hart Allen & Unwin ISBN 9781760295974 RRP $9.99 Age 5 – 7 Date of publication July 2017 Reviewer Barbara Hoodless Hunter Marks is a lover of dinosaurs. He knows all about dinosaurs. How lucky is Hunter to be in his school library and with the help of Mrs Stegg be introduced to a whole world of dinosaur adventures…… all through a special computer game. Hunter becomes a member of the D – Bot […]

Categories: action, adventure, Allen & Unwin, Children's Books, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Reviewer Barbara Hoodless • Tags: Children, Early Chapter Books, early reader, Reviewer Barbara Hoodless

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Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja(series)

January 13, 2017 by mstuart720

Marcus Emerson Allen & Unwin ISBN 9781760295554 RRP $9.99 Age 7 – 12 Date of publication January 2017 (books 1 – 4) Feb 2017 (books 5 – 7) and March 2017 (books 8- 10) Reviewer Megan Stuart A whole new series of 10 books will reach books stores and devices this year. The books chronicle the life Chase Cooper an ordinary, skinny eleven year old (and to a degree his cousin Zoe). Book one begins as Chase starts at a new […]

Categories: action, adventure, Allen & Unwin, Children's Books, humour, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Murdoch Books Australia, Reviewer - Megan Stuart

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The Hungry Isle

November 1, 2016 by mstuart720

Emily Rodda Omnibus Books ISBN 9781742991337 RRP $16.99 Age 8+ Date of publication September 2016 Reviewer Megan Stuart The Hungry Isle is the fourth book in the Star of Deltora Series. The heroine Britta continues to compete to win the Rosalyn Apprentice contest and be a trader. This is most definitely up the usual Emily Rodda standard and explains why these books are some of the most popular books in the library. There are teaching notes available too.

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Omnibus Books, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Series • Tags: omnibus books, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, series

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Skyfire

October 18, 2016 by mstuart720

Michael Adams Scholastic Australia ISBN 9781743628010 RRP $7.99 Age 10+ Date of publication September 2016 Reviewer Megan Stuart After reading the gripping prologue it is not hard to get into Michael Adams new book Skyfire. The story revolves around seven young DARE award winners (all from quite different families and countries) who get caught up in dangerous events. The great thing is that this is the first of seven books all published during the next year. Highly recommended.

Categories: action, adventure, Children's Recommended Read, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic Australia, Series, Suspense • Tags: Adventure, Reviewer - Megan Stuart, series

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Valdur the Viking and the Ghostly Goths

October 4, 2016 by mstuart720

Craig Cormick Ford St ISBN 9781925272420 RRP $12.95 Age 6-10 Date of publication September 2016 Reviewer Megan Stuart This book has a light-hearted style and the author communicates with the reader “You see, your teachers might never tell you this, because they don’t know”.The story involves ghost ships from many eras – Goths, Romans and Vikings with tit bits of accurate history dotted through the book.

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, Ford St Publishing, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart

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Ocean of the Dead: Ship Kings 4

August 1, 2016 by mstuart720

Andrew McGahan Allen and Unwin ISBN 9781760292188 RRP $24.99 Age 10+ Genre Fantasy Date of publication: 27th July 2016 EBook available Reviewer Megan Stuart This is the 4th and final book in the Ship Kings series by acclaimed Australian author Andrew McGahan who is incidentally the recipient of the Australian Vogel Literary Award, the Miles Franklin Literary Award, the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, The Age book of the Year and The Courier Mail Book of the Year Award. Other books in the […]

Categories: action, adventure, Allen & Unwin, Fantasy, fantasy, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Reviewer - Megan Stuart • Tags: Allan & Unwin, fantasy, Megan Stuart

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Star of Deltora. The Towers of Illica

April 25, 2016 by mstuart720

Emily Rodda Omnibus Books ISBN 9781742990644 Date of publication April 2016 RRP $16.99 Age 8+ Reviewer Megan Stuart This is book 3 in the Star of Deltora series. The books feature a strong heroine called Britta and the series make it easy to see why Emily Rodda continues to be one of Australia’s most popular children’s author. Cards for collectors are in the back of the book.

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, Omnibus Books • Tags: Reviewer - Megan Stuart, Scholastic Inc

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Keeper of the crystals. Eve and the last dragon

March 1, 2016 by mstuart720

Jess Black Celeste Hulme New Frontier Publishing ISBN 9781925059465 RRP $14.99 Age 7+ Date of publication February 2016 Reviewer Megan Stuart Another adventure for Eve and Oscar involving fire breathing dragons and a dragon slayer. Jess Black co wrote the Bindi Wildlife Adventure Series and this time the protagonists are saving a mythical creature from extinction. Readers in our library were very happy to see it arrive.

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, Children's Recommended Read, fantasy, Historical fiction, Junior Novel, Miscellaneous, New Frontier Publishing

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Please, open this book!

January 18, 2016 by mstuart720

Adam Lehrhaupt Matthew Forsythe Simon & Schuster Australia ISBN 9781442450714 RRP $24.99 Age 4-8 Date of publication October 2015 Reviewer Megan Stuart This book is delightful. The characters are very likeable and the earthy colours used by Matthew Forsythe are great. The book gives the reader an insight into what it is like being a character stuck in a book when the pages are not being turned. An interesting reflection for young people!

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, humour, Miscellaneous, Picture Books, Reviewer - Megan Stuart • Tags: Simon & Schuster Australia

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The marvels

December 5, 2015 by dberger

Brian Selzniak Schoalstic Inc ISBN: 9780545448680 RRP: $34.99 Published: October, 2015 Reviewer: Nicola Cain They say, a picture really does paint a thousand words, and this book proves it. Brian Selzniak’s The Marvels tells two stories in one. The first is story of Billy Marvel. He survives a ship wreck and then finds work in a theatre. As time goes on, the Marvel family blossoms into generations of talented actors. Then in 1900, Leontes Marvel is banished from the stage. […]

Categories: adventure, Graphic novel, Junior Novel, Middle Grade, Reviewer - Nicola Cain • Tags: Scholastic Inc

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Sian A new Australian

November 13, 2015 by mstuart720

D Luckett Omnibus Books ISBN 9781742990392 RRP $15.99 Age 8+ Historical fiction Date of publication August 2015 Reviewer Megan Stuart This book was given high praise by a Year 6 girl who is not a particularly committed reader. That is enough for me to recommend it. It is one of a new series of books loosely based on fact and looking at the lives of young people moving to Australia. This one is set in the early 1900’s.

Categories: adventure, australian, Historical fiction • Tags: 8+ years, history, Omnibus for Scholastic

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The impossible quest

October 21, 2015 by mstuart720

Kate Forsyth Scholastic Press ISBN 9781743624104 RRP $14.99 Age 8+ Date of publication September 2015 Reviewer Megan Stuart After a topsy turvy ride we come to the final (and 5th) book in the series The Impossible Quest. These novels have given readers the opportunity to live vicariously through the lives of 4 resourceful and brave young people in a Medieval setting. All thanks to Kate Forsyth.

Categories: adventure, Children's Recommended Read, Series • Tags: 8+ years, Scholastic

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The big wish

October 13, 2015 by dberger

Brandon Robshaw Chicken House ISBN: 9781908435897 RRP: $15.99 Published: July, 2015 Reviewed by Megan Stuart What would you do if you were given a million wishes? Well in “The Big Wish” by Brandon Robshaw we follow the fortunes and misfortunes of eleven year old Sam as he finds that a million wishes don’t always lead to an easy life. The old saying “be careful what you wish for” comes to mind as you read this fun tale. An easy to […]

Categories: adventure • Tags: 8+ years, Adventure, Chicken House

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Star of Deltora. Shadows of the master

October 13, 2015 by mstuart720

Emily Rodda Omnibus Books ISBN 9781742990620 RRP $16.99 Age 8+ Date of publication October 2016 Reviewer Megan Stuart The introduction of Britta the heroine in this new Emily Rodda story is done with a deft hand and the portrait of a very interesting character is painted. We want to follow Britta’s adventures. Emily Rodda is an experienced and gifted author which is why children invariably go on to read more of her work. There will be fans waiting for the […]

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, Children's Recommended Read • Tags: 8+ years, action, Adventure, Omnibus for Scholastic

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300 minutes of danger

October 13, 2015 by dberger

Jack Heath Scholastic Australia ISBN: 9781760154035 RRP: $9.99 Publication date: September, 2015 Reviewed by Debbie Berger 300 Minutes of Danger is a clever concept by Australian author Jack Heath. This book has 10 short stories; each estimated to take about 30 minutes of reading time; each full of suspense and action; and each uniquely different from the next. There is a countdown starting at 30 minutes and working backwards in the margin of every story, which aims to motivate the reader […]

Categories: adventure, Short Stories • Tags: Adventure, Scholastic Aus

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The last thirteen #4

August 4, 2015 by dberger

James Phelan Scholastic Australia ISBN: 9781742831930 RRP: $14.99 Reviewed by: William The book, The Last Thirteen: 4, is actually the 10th book in the popular series, with the tale beginning with The Last Thirteen: 13 and counting backwards. This series is written by Australian author James Phelan and has been popular for younger readers. In each book in the series, the main character, Sam, goes searching for a certain dreamer. In The Last Thirteen: 4, Sam goes to Cambodia in […]

Categories: action, adventure • Tags: action, Adventure, Scholastic Aus, series

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The mammoth book of Everest

July 16, 2015 by dberger

Edited by Jon E Lewis Allen and Unwin ISBN: 9781472120182 Published: June, 2015 RRP: $19.99 Reviewed by Debbie Berger The Mammoth Book of Everest is everything you ever wanted to know about the many first attempts to climb Mt Everest, also known the roof of the world. There is tragedy, triumph and many exhilarating tales from the world’s most famous mountain spanning from the early attempts to conquer her in 1913 up until the tragedy in April 2014 when an […]

Categories: adventure, Non-Fiction, Short Stories • Tags: Adventure, Allen & Unwin, Reviewer - Debbie Berger

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The bad guys: episode one

July 13, 2015 by mstuart720

Aaron Blabey Aaron Blabey Scholastic ISBN 9781760150426 RRP $9.99 Age 7+ Date of publication July 2015 Reviewer Megan Stuart Aaron Blabey has turned his talents as both a writer and illustrator to a graphic novel for the 7+ age group. The bad guys (episode 1) features a wolf, a snake, a shark and a piranha. Although we associate all these animals with danger they are looking for ways to be seen as the “good guys” and prove that they are […]

Categories: adventure, Children's Books, visual literacy • Tags: 7+, Scholastic

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Embassy Row #1: All Fall Down

June 17, 2015 by dberger

Ally Carter Scholastic Australia ISBN: 9781743628942 RRP: $19.99 Publication Date: February 2015 Reviewed by Brianna All Fall Down is the first book in the New Embassy Row Series by a bestselling New-York Times author, Ally Carter. It has a cleverly developed plot about Grace Blakely, a 16 year old girl whose mother was brutally murdered. Grace also happens to be the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world in a fictional country called Adria. Grace goes […]

Categories: adventure, Suspense, Young Adult • Tags: Scholastic Aus, Young Adult

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Category Archives: adventure

Melowy #2 The song of the moon

Miniwings Firestorm’s musical muck-up

Prisoner of ice and snow

The extremely inconvenient adventures of Bronte Mettlestone

Show stopper

D-Bot Squad Series #1 Dino Hunter

Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja(series)

The Hungry Isle

Skyfire

Valdur the Viking and the Ghostly Goths

Ocean of the Dead: Ship Kings 4

Star of Deltora. The Towers of Illica

Keeper of the crystals. Eve and the last dragon

Please, open this book!

The marvels

Sian A new Australian

The impossible quest

The big wish

Star of Deltora. Shadows of the master

300 minutes of danger

The last thirteen #4

The mammoth book of Everest

The bad guys: episode one

Embassy Row #1: All Fall Down