important concept: that of sharing, something that children of all ages need to discuss and understand. The five little fiends in question live inside statues and look out at the world. They each choose a part of it, their favourite individual part, and take them home, back to their statues to look at whenever they choose. The sun, the moon, the land, the sky and the sea are all removed and stowed away in the statues. Read the story and find out what happens, when each little fiend realises the global impact of his or her combined selfishness. Most of the text is straightforward, though some vocabulary may require explanation, and the format and layout of the illustrations is simple and uncluttered, all adding emphasis to the overlying theme of sharing. The book will be accessible to quite a large age range of children, because it highlights a concept that needs to be accompanied by discussion. (5 years and above) --Susan Naylor
Advantages: A well written story, tackling greed & sharing Disadvantages: None
...This is another children's book published by Bloomsbury. The paperback version was published in 2002. Five Little Friends is written by SarahDyer and won the Bronze Nestle Book Prize in 2001. Five Little Friends was SarahDyer's first published children's book, and started life as part of a second year project at University. Her next book was title "Clementine and Mungo".
This book is all about five little friends who live in five statues. Each day the friends would come out of their statues and enjoy the world around them. One day they decided that they would each take the one thing they liked the best, so one took the sun, the second took the sky, a third took the land, the fourth took the sea and the last took the moon. They all took their item back to their statue to enjoy it. Unfortunately as you may have guessed their enjoyment...
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Advantages: A little lesson on the importance of balance Disadvantages: none
...I admire people who can convey an important message in the simplest and briefest of ways. I cannot do that easily.
When it comes to children's books, it is essential not to go too deeply into convoluted terrain and complicated metaphors. Come to think of it, it sometimes helps in grown-up's books as well!!
Five Little Fiends is a very simple, short book, with just such a message.
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The book was written and illustrated by SarahDyer, a young author / illustrator born in Brighton in 1978. It was her very first book, started as part of a project in her second year at Kingston University, where she studied for a BA in Illustration.
Sarah now lives in Surbiton and has written a second book entitled: Clementine and Mungo.
Five Little Fiends was the winner of the Nestlé Book Prize 2001, not that his...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Funny, modern and different Disadvantages: A bit egotistical and lacking in morals
...Geoff Dyer is definitely an author with a personality.
In 'Yoga for people who cant be bothered to do it' he narrates his rather random travels around the world with a cynical and witty (depending on your opinion) voice.
He seems to spend most of his time either high on drugs or drink, complaining about the local culture and sleeping with girls. I suppose he could be seen as the epitomy of the modern traveller!
The thing with Dyer is that he doesnt do justice to the countries he is visiting. Whilst you get some interesting snippets of information, I expect accidently, he revels in telling of his innermost ponderings and experiences with people, and that is really what this book is about.
I wouldnt buy this book as a travel book. To be fair, you're not going to learn an awful lot about the countries he visited, in fact I'm struggling...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
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27.03.2007
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