If you have children aged seven to 12-years-of-age, then here are two books that will delight them!
Charlie and the War Against the Grannies by Alan Brough
Synopsis: I didn’t want Mrs Cyclopolos to explode. I just wanted a paper round. My name is Charlie Ian Duncan. I will be 12 on 2 February. I didn’t mean for Mrs Cyclopolos to blow up. I just wanted a paper round.
Review: Alan Brough is well known in Australia from his role on ABC’s musical quiz show, Spicks and Specks, as well as many other television, film, stage and radio appearances. With experience as a stand-up comedian to boot, it’s no surprise that Brough’s debut novel is a fun romp.
The 268-page novel is set in a Melbourne suburban neighbourhood and depicts 11-year-old Charlie’s desperation for a paper round, even when up against an unexpected foe. When Charlie finds out the hard way that some evil grannies have cornered the paper market and don’t want to share, he enlists the help of his formidable and fearless best friend Hils. Hils, short for Hilary, is a tough-as-nails girl who is a fountain of survival and army knowledge, and who isn’t afraid to wage war, even against grannies.
Full of silly, almost slapstick-style adventures and plenty of fart jokes and other gross happenings that kids are sure to love, Charlie and the War against the Grannies is the perfect Australian story for youngsters who can’t get enough of David Walliam’s work. On top of the humour, the novel also has plenty of formatting pluses to entice reluctant readers of either sex. The book has short chapters, plus tables, bullet points, lists and the occasional picture.
Connect with the publisher, Pan Macmillan – here
Connect with the author, Alan Brough on his Facebook page – here
The 78-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths
Synopsis: Join Andy and Terry in their spectacular new 78-storey treehouse. They’ve added 13 new levels including a drive-thru car wash, a combining machine, a scribbletorium, an ALL-BALL sports stadium, Andyland, Terrytown, a high-security potato chip storage facility and an open-air movie theatre. Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!
Review:
Like the rest of the Treehouse books created by dynamic duo Andy Griffiths (author) and Terry Denton (illustrator), The 78-Storey Treehouse is a fun junior fiction novel full of madcap treehouse adventures and intricate, cartoon-style pictures.
The book is perfect for both boys and girls and as always, it will help to draw reluctant readers in.
Note though, to encapsulate all the mayhem that makes up the novel (including those 13 great new levels), the book is a relatively chunky 375 pages. But with illustrations on every page, kids don’t have to worry about being overwhelmed by text. The size is also well suited to children who have been working up to longer stories. The pictures can be studied for hours in order to see more and more detail on every read and, like all of Denton’s work, add a huge amount of humour and extra silliness to the story.
Like its predecessors in the Treehouse series, this new book will have children giggling with glee at not just the wonders of the setting but also the adventures that the protagonists, Andy and Terry, go on. With a focus on the making of a movie this time around, the creators have ensured that kids will be marking The 78-Storey Treehouse as a classic that needs to be read again and again.
Connect with the publisher, Pan Macmillan – here
Connect with the author, Andy Griffiths – here
A copy of both books was provided by the publisher, Pan Macmillan, in exchange for an honest review.
Kellie Byrnes is a full-time corporate writer and life-long avid reader who enjoys immersing herself in stories of many different genres, particularly children’s books.
Kellie’s debut children’s picture book will be published by Wombat Books in 2017/18, and when not writing she can often be found checking out the latest books, films, TV shows and theatre productions.
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