BOOK REVIEW: Into the River, by Ted Dawe

Into the River, by Ted Dawe

Dawe, T. (2012). Into the river. Auckland, New Zealand: Mangakino University Press.

‘Into the River’ is the prequel to Ted Dawes critically acclaimed Thunder Road and has been the centre of much controversy.  The book was subject to an interim restriction order which has since been lifted.

Into the River was judged Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards in 2013, and rightly so.  This is a hard-hitting, gritty story about a Maori boy from a rural community who wins a scholarship to a boarding school in the city.

As a child Te Arapa has a brush with the spirit world whilst eeling in a river.  The consequences of this event come back to haunt him as he heads off to boarding school alone.  He has the expectations and hopes of his grandfather and iwi on his shoulders, and it weighs heavily upon him.   Te Arapa, or Devon as he reinvents himself, does what he needs to do to survive in the ruthless world of an all male boarding school.  The issues he deals with are those that so many young people face today – drugs, sex, inappropriate sexual advances, and bullying.  These issues are not glorified but explored in a realistic way that shows how serious the consequences of your decisions can be. 

This book explores actions and consequences, and I highly recommend it for teens and their parents.

BOOK REVIEW: The 52-Story Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton

The 52-Story Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton

Griffiths, A., & Denton, T. (2014). The 52-story treehouse. Sydney, Australia: Pan Macmillan Australia.

Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton have teamed up yet again, this time to create ‘The 52-Story Treehouse’.  It is the fourth book in the Treehouse series, and just as funny as its predecessors.   This series of books is based upon two main characters, Andy and Terry, who live in a vast treehouse, full of crazy rooms.  They have added 13 more stories since the last book, and the additions include a watermelon-smashing room, a rocket-powered carrot-launcher room and a Ninja Snail Training Academy.

Andy and Terry need to solve a mystery in this latest instalment, and they put their high-tech detective technology to good use.  The story is silly and fun, and will result in laugh out loud moments.

This is a great book for reluctant readers – particularly boys.  It is full of really funny illustrations to break up the reading, and it is quite ridiculous.  Being part of a series, this can also lead a reluctant reader on to further reading.

Although this book is targeted at the 8 – 12 year audience, children as young as 6 would also enjoy this book, either reading alone, or being read to. 

BOOK REVIEW: The Cat’s Pyjamas, by Catherine Foreman

The Cat’s Pyjamas, by Catherine Foreman

Foreman, C. (2011). The cat's pyjamas. Auckland, New Zealand: Scholastic New Zealand.

Winner of the coveted New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards in 2012, The Cat’s Pyjamas is a delightful story that is well suited to children aged two to six.  This is Catherine Foreman’s first book, and her talents extend to both the writing and the illustrations.

The book tells the tale of ‘the Cat’ and his seven pairs of pyjamas, one for each day of the week.  Each pair of pyjamas inspires its own special dream that night.  When the cat wears his garden pyjamas on Wednesday he has a “dream of garden delight”. 

The story makes good use of repetition, and has a lovely rhyming narrative that flows well.

The illustrations are bold, colourful and clear.  There are so many things to look at and find, which small children enjoy.

The Cat’s Pyjamas subtly incorporates essential learning into the story – the days of the week and bedtime routines, which makes this fantastic bedtime reading.

This is a wonderful story with a surprising and funny ending, along with superb illustrations.  Children and adults alike will fall in love with this book, and it is sure to become a household favourite.