04 Dec Book Reviews: Some seasonal books for independent readers
For older, curious and independent readers, these Christmas themed books offer a great mix of adventure and humour.
Santa & Son
by David Walliams, illus. by Adam Stower, pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books, p/b RRP$12.99. Ages 8-12.
Prolific writer, David Walliams, has produced his first, funny, Christmas story – a heist from the ‘largest’ toy store in the world, Londinium. Full of mayhem, action heroes and baddies the story uses lots of little illustrations throughout and is an easy read for an older child and also be perfect for a reluctant reader.
Alice-Miranda and the Christmas Mystery
by Jacqueline Harvey, pub. Puffin, an Imprint of Penguin Books, p/b RRP$16.99. Ages 8-12.
For fans of Alice-Miranda, this is a Christmas themed book originally published in 2023. Alice-Miranda and her friends are preparing for Christmas when the decorations in the town start to disappear. The local stores are also empty of the usual Christmas treats. What’s going on? It’s a mystery that Alice-Miranda and her friends are determined to discover.
Other books to look for are:
The Christmas Cracker Killer
by Alexandra Benedict, pub Simon & Schuster UK, p/b, RRP$24.99. Ages 8+
Also by this author The Christmas Jigsaw
Start With A Teapot: An Unexpected Guide to the Art of Drawing
by Eric Lax, pub Gecko Press (Walker Books), h/b, RRP$29.99. Ages 7-12
A perfect gift for a young budding artist. Not only is it informative but very amusing. Lots of subjects are covered under various subjects: Animals; Plants; Human inventions and in Miscellaneous:
“How do you draw poop?
OK, let’s deal with the subject of poop. Someone’s got to do it.”
False versus Facts
by Dan Marshall, pub. Walker Books, p/b, RRP$19.99. Ages 8+
Separating truth from lies is hard in our digital world but this book covers 42+ of the more common myths, showing which are fact and which fiction. For example, who knew the ‘Five second Rule’ for food dropped to the floor being contaminated was really fiction! Or that Albert Einstein failed maths when he was young and didn’t talk until he was four. He was just waiting until he could speak in sentences!
Dan’s colourful and clear designs stem from his background in graphic art, which shows in his accompanying illustrations.
