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...shall give you a statement; Stargirl is different. Stargirl is narrated by the character Leo and it focuses on Susan Caraway, a girl more commonly known as, Stargirl. She wore long frilly dresses and retro clothing, she carried a ukulele and her pet rat around with her and she decorated her tables with flowers every single period of every single week. She made birthday cards for children if she saw it was their birthday, he helped the sick and deserving ...
...for no reward. Stargirl became like an addiction to the student body, soon everyone began to sing with her, dance with her, put flowers on their desks and 'the pet shop at the Mica Mall ran out of rats' - she was accepted... for being different. Stargirl made the cheerleading squad - Stargirl was a role model for the female and the male student body. It was a miracle - something they would never had expected. 'The trouble with miracles is, they don't ... Read review

Advantages: Anarchic, subversive dark humour for kids.
Disadvantages: Are you kidding me?!

...to protect the not-so innocent" For anyone who has ever plumbed the depths of children's literature (and there are some), Jon Scieszka is the kind of name that calls to you from the heavens and pulls you up into the realms of literary happiness. His darkly comic irreverent humour has lined the bookshelves of children for quite a few years now ("The Stinky Cheese Man" has just seen its tenth anniversary) but it was with total surprise that I came ...
...with Burton-esque illustrator Lane Smith, Scieszka has created a set of eighteen wickedly subversive and humanly hysterical fables for children. Working on the premise that "even thousands of years ago people were bright enough to figure out that you could gossip about anybody - as longas you changed their name to something like "Lion" or "Mouse" or "Donkey" first, Scieszka gives a heads up to Aesop and sets off along his merry way... The only way ... Read review

Advantages: great book really captivating
Disadvantages: none

Justin Somper has made this book brilliant and inspiring. Anthony Horowitz described it as "Totally Original". This book is amazingly based around an old sea shanty about Vampirates. It is quoted below: "I'll tell you a tale of Vampirates, A tale as old as true. Yea, I'll sing you a song of an ancient ship, And it's mighty fearsome crew. Yea, I'll sing you a song of an ancient ship, That sails the oceans blue... That haunts the oceans blue. ...
...wings in flight. They say the captain, he wears a veil So as to curtail your fright At his death-pale skin And his lifeless eyes And his teeth as sharp as night. Oh, they say the captain, he wears a veil And his eyes never see the light. "You'd better be good, child - good as gold, As good as good can be. Else I'll turn you in to the Vampirates And wave you out to sea. Yes, you'd better be good, child - good as gold, Because - look! ... Read review

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...on the pavement outside of Laura's window. Laura rushes outside with her torch to take a closer look at the star. Laura is in awe of the stars beauty, but then notices that a point of the star has broken off. Laura gently carries the star back into her house and manages to stick the broken point of the star back on. Laura then takes the star into her bed and tells it her secrets. When she wakes up in the morning the star has disappeared. Laura ...
...lots of fun detail, like Laura's dragon mug and plate of cookies. Teddy peeps out from under the duvet. This is a lovely, touching story of friendship and putting the needs of others before your own needs. It can be read on many different levels. A very young child will love the illustrations and simple story. For an older child the story can help with a discussion about the needs of others and important friendships. My son and I discussed how important ... Read review

Advantages: fun book for children
Disadvantages: none

Class Three all at Sea is written by Julia Jarman and illustrated by Lynne Chapman, tells of an exciting day when Class Three goes off on a trip out to sea. It starts off as the class is waiting on the quay and we see the children's excited faces watching donkeys dancing and seagulls skimming stones. However, there is something in the background that they don't see - a skull and cross bones! They board the boat, happily donning life jackets, blissfully ...
...the ship and behave very badly towards the children, their teacher and the crew. A little boy called Lenny is made to walk the plank by the mean pirates and it's a jolly good thing he does because he eventually saves the day. He alerts some rather large octopuses who rescue the children by going on board and tying all the pirates in knots with their tentacles! The children then head towards the pirates' secret island where, much to their excitement, ... Read review