Calling all the books that I've listed here 'chapter books' is perhaps unfair. Some are quite a bit longer than others. I'm uncomfortable defining books on the basis of age too, as reading levels differ widely even within one school, let alone across schools, areas and countries. I think, broadly, this list comprises books that I enjoyed reading as an adult and would probably have loved when I was eight or nine.Me and Mister PWriter: Maria Farrer Illustrator: Daniel RieleyPublisher: Oxford University PressWhat can I say about the delightful Mister P? Though I read Me and Mister P almost a year ago, it is one of those timeless books that stay with you, a classic.When Arthur discovers a polar bear at his doorstep, the warmest of friendships begins to blossom. Mister P does not say a word, but something special is born out of those wonderful bear hugs and the … [Read more...]
The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop
Ooh! That's Polly! Let me wave out to her!Oops. I'm at an auction and I just ended up buying a horse for a thousand pounds.No, I'm not quoting, but this is the lovely premise of a heart-warming story of a racehorse who refuses to gallop.Ten-year-old Charlie Bass loves horses, but she has only ever ridden a cow on her farm. When she accidentally bids for a racehorse that her father must now buy, Charlie is determined to make the purchase of Noble Warrior the best decision ever, even if it means additional expenses on Folly Farm for a while. Charlie ropes her brothers Harry and Larry in and, as a team, they begin to train Noble Warrior, aka Noddy, to become the next winner of the Derby.The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop is a story about friendship - between a horse and a palomino pony, and among the humans in the story. Most of all, though, more than all the … [Read more...]
After Tomorrow
Flawed narrators make me squirm. When I read a story from the point of view of a character who does not make the right decisions, I often don't know whether to read on. Fictional friends are important to me as a reader. I read to befriend the characters. What if the protagonist doesn't seem like the kind of friend I would like to have?I read After Tomorrow slowly for exactly that reason - it made me uncomfortable. However, the point is that the story is supposed to make me uncomfortable, for it's dystopic, set in a time when the pound is worthless and no one has food. The only thing Matt and his family can do is to try, somehow, to move out of the UK and into France, which is, at least for the time-being, allowing a few refugees in.But Matt resents everything that comes his way. He does not want to learn French; he thinks it is pointless. His stepfather Justin is nowhere near as … [Read more...]
The Island at the End of Everything
Amihan lives with her nanay on Culion, the island at the end of everything. Unlike most of the others - who came by boat to this beautiful, lush green island with blue skies - Ami was born on the island, an island of lepers. Except that they don't use the word 'leper' on Culion; instead, they say that the people there are Touched.Ami's mother, her nanay, is her world, her everything. But Mr Zamora, a government official, has other plans, founded on segregation. Everyone on Culion is to be tested for leprosy. Those who carry the disease must live separately from those who are 'clean'. Worst of all, children under 18 who are not Touched will be taken to an orphanage on another island.And so, Ami, who is not Touched, must leave her mother and go with the evil Mr Zamora to a place she has never visited. She must learn how to make friends and worst of all, she must learn to live as an … [Read more...]
The Boundless
The Boundless starts slowly; I almost did not read it. But that's what made me realise once again how important reviews are: I read on only because Katherine Rundell was quoted as having said, 'WHAT A BOOK!'And though there were parts I skimmed over, and parts that irked me (like the tiny peculiar sentence in Hindi), I have to agree - The Boundless is a phenomenal book in many ways. It's wild, imaginative and breath-taking, full of the kind of danger and adventure that keeps you reading on and on, however much you may skip on the way.The Boundless is the greatest train in history, but for young William Everett, it turns out to be much more than that because several people intend to rob the funeral car, which carries the body of the rail baron and some of his treasures. From sasquatch to the hag of the muskeg, William encounters all kinds of strange creatures during his journey in … [Read more...]
Pig Heart Boy
Cameron's heart is weak. He does not know how long he has to live. But there's a doctor who believes that a heart transplant from a pig will give him a chance. And Cameron decides to take the chance.Pig Heart Boy is an incredible story, overwhelming me with all the ideas it encompasses. Life and death, family, friendship, betrayal, economic hardship, incomprehensible greed, animal rights ... The nuances of the story took my breath away.Cameron's parents fight all the time, and the thirteen-year-old boy hates it, especially as he knows he is central to many of their quarrels. Even when it comes to the idea of going through a 'procedure' and getting the heart of a pig, his mother isn't convinced, unlike his father. Worse, the entire procedure has to be hush-hush because Dr Bryce knows only too well that a transplant of this sort would attract unnecessary attention. Cameron realises … [Read more...]
Making Millions
Nicholas wants to go for a masterclass, but his parents refuse to shell out the money he would need. What do real friends do when a friend is in need?Even though Cass thinks that yet another class is strange, this masterclass is what her friend Nicholas wants. So, of course, Cass and the Bubble Street Gang need to make money - and quickly. While they're at it, they decide to become millionaires - there's no need to keep their dreams small, is there? And so, that's the Bubble Street Gang's next project - making millions.Making millions is not the only project that Cass has on her hands. She has a mystery to solve. There is an invisible boy in her class, and no one seems to believe her when she says that. She must get Invisible Boy to reveal himself, and she's determined to do so.Making Millions is a hilarious, heart-warming story, and I loved everything about it. As a child, … [Read more...]
Radhika Takes the Plunge
A little over a year ago, I read the picture book Clumsy! by Ken Spillman and I enjoyed it. It is a sweet, heart-warming story about a girl who is often called 'clumsy', 'careless', 'butterfingers'. That becomes her identity until her grandmother gives her a box of paints. I loved the simplicity of the story; that's what made me pick up Radhika Takes the Plunge.Radhika has an over-protective mother, who refuses to let her go swimming. For as long as Radhika lived in Delhi, she did not mind very much. When she moves to Australia, she is mortified by the fact that she has never been to a swimming-pool when everyone else has, or as she puts it, everyone else seems to be 49% fish.When her mother finally lets Radhika go to the pool, the girl takes the plunge - in more ways than one.Once more, I liked the story because of the simplicity of the style. To say that the … [Read more...]
A Place Called Perfect
I was a bit apprehensive about reading a book that promised to be 'Perfectly Creepy'. I'm not a big fan of creepy stories. But I loved the cover and the title intrigued me, so I picked it up and started reading.And before I knew it, I had finished the book.A Place Called Perfect is the story of a perfect town with just one problem. Somehow, people at Perfect soon become blind and need special rose-tinted glasses to see. Violet hates the place before she even goes there. She did not want to move, and she hates the fact that her father decided to take a job there without even consulting her.At Perfect, though, things become stranger and stranger. Her mother becomes the stereotypical Perfect housewife. Violet herself is expected to behave perfectly all the time - even variations in games during playtime are heavily frowned upon. Worse, her father vanishes and she begins to hear … [Read more...]
The 1,000-Year-Old Boy
"References to historical dates, places and words in old languages are accurate only in the sense of being 'not very'.Ross Welford in his Author's Note to The 1,000-Year-Old BoyIsn't that a promising note to an imaginative story?The 1,000-Year-Old Boy is about Alfie Monk, who has been eleven years old for a thousand years. To some, this may sound fantastic. But Alfie now just wants to grow up. Thanks to two life-pearls, panic and an accident, his cat Buffa and he cannot die naturally. This does not mean that they're immortal; rather, they're biologically immortal, meaning they can be killed. But until then, they do not age unless they can successfully use a second life-pearl.When you live for a thousand years, can you make friends? What happens if you don't age in an era when witches are burnt at the stake? And what about in modern times when you need documents … [Read more...]