Eatons Hill State School Book Raves

Author – Jim Eldridge.  Series – My Story.

This book is written as a diary of Billy who became a soldier in the English army.  He was sixteen when he signed up.  He and his friend Rob originally began training together, but then Billy’s previous job as a trainee telegraph operator meant he was moved to a different camp, away from his friend.  The two young men meet up later at the war front in Belgium.

The danger, horror and boredom of trench warfare is shown in this book.

Suitable for Years 6 and 7.

From this book, I learnt that the characters in books actually read books!  I’d like Clarice to be my friend.  She is smart, helps people find things and has a sixth sense.

I’d certainly buy a copy of this book as a present for a friend.

The beginning of the story was boring, but I liked the story-line.  And I really enjoyed the huge food fight, when oranges, bananas and toilet paper flew at the school principal!

Judy doesn’t act like your normal girl – she’s a tom boy who won’t comb her hair.  She’s never in a good mood.  I would not like her as a friend because she’s a rude, mean little girl. 

The books are quick reads that I love reading because Judy makes me feel like a really nice person.

Old Tom has an incredible adventure in this book.  Angela Throgmorton bought Old Tom a spaceship.  Old Tom cannot resists pulling, twisting, flicking and turning all the instruments.  As a result, he finds himself on his way to Mars!

Great story for Years 3 and 4.

This book was written by Leigh Hobbs. 

It’s about Old Tom, a crazy cat, going to the beach.  He has a lot of fun there, but is also yelled at by many other beach-goers.

This is an easy-to-read book.  Years 3 and 4 students would love it.

Like a scarey story?  Try this one.

D.O.G. was written by Robyn Osborne and illustrated by Craig Longmuir.

David Owen Godfrey (D.O.G.) is the main character in the story.  He is obsessed with dogs, owning 456 dog items, but not one real dog.  You’ll have to read the book to find out if he ever gets his wish – to own a real dog.

I recommend the book for students in Years 4 to 6.

Lilly and Ella are best friends, although Lilly’s dad would be happier if Lilly didn’t even know Ella existed.  But Auntie Maisy is so friendly that Lilly and her brother Jake love going to Ella’s to visit and play.  Will Lilly’s dad let the children be friends?

Stella just wants to be ordinary.  This is hard because her parents, her home and her dreams seem just the opposite!  But when Stella finds a small ad in the newspaper, her life changes in ways she could not have imagined. 

This is a great story for an eager reader.  Written by Ruth Starke, Stella by the Sea is a winner for me!

This book is part of the Felicity Wishes series.  There are three stories in the book. 

Felicity Wishes is a young fairy who attends the School of Nine Wishes in the village of Little Blossoming.

In the first story, Felicity loses her wand and has to get a brand new one.  She starts a new trend at the school.  But when a new girl comes, Felicity gives up something she really likes to help the new student feel like she’ll fit in.

I think Felicity Wishes are a great set of books.  The author, Emma Thompson, has really captured the fairy theme.

In Boyz Rule : Park Soccer, Sam and Billy play soccer with their ‘team’ of super-stars.  They have commentary done by the best commentators in the world.  The captains of Italy and Brazil are even there!  Who will win the game?

I like this book because the authors – Felice Arena and Phil Kettle – are very imaginative.  I would recommend it for Years 2 to 4.

Friends Forever is a nice-sized book from Linda Chapman’s ‘My Secret Unicorn’ series.

Lauren can’t wait to go to pony camp with her best friend Mel.  It’s going to be so much fun sharing a cabin, riding ponies and having picnics.  But when she gets there, everything goes wrong …

Young detectives Anna and Tim are magnets for mystery!They are confronted by thieves, ghosts, people and a number of other scary creatures nearly every day as they solve the crimes in their adventures. Help them solve the mysteries of the ‘Midnight Zappers’, ‘The Disappearance of Mrs. Wagner’s Antique Clock’ and have fun searching the Possum Creek Cemetery. Enjoy the cartoon pictures by Mark David and the text by Duncan Ball. This book was selected as the Notable Books by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This week’s book of the week is Colour in the Creek.
1932 and the Depression is at its height. Like many families, the Fletchers have been wandering the Australian bush looking for work. When the news of gold discoveries reaches them, they head for Coorumbong Creek hoping to strike it rich.
For Alec and his brothers and sister, life on the back of a truck is a lark, but with friends to be made and gold to be found, the little settlement at the creek looks like a good place to stay for a while  – until their Father is involved in a mine— shaft accident…
Along the way who will they meet?
Will they strike it lucky  after their Father’s  mine—shaft accident? Will he ever to mine again?    

I have just re-read My Side of the Mountain by Jean George.  It’s a great story about a boy from New York.  He has decided to go to his great-grandfather’s farm in the mountains and see if he can survive there.  He takes very little with him except some carefully collected knowledge and good eyesight.  He uses both to make a home in an old tree, feed himself, learn about the weather and best of all, train Frightful, his hawk.   I enjoyed it enough to laugh out aloud a few times.  

This is an Aussie Bite, so it won’t take long to read.  Lucy is a wonderful ballet dancer, the best in the class, and all she wants to be is a famous ballet dancer. But there is one small problem – Lucy wears glasses and she doesn’t believe that famous ballerinas should wear glasses. Then a boy – Craig Spinetti – joins the class. Not only does he make fun of Lucy, but he has been chosen to play the Fairy Prince to her Fairy Princess at the end-of-year ballet concert. Can things get any worse?
 

This week’s book of the week is Doctor Judy Moody. It is written by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H Reynolds. Judy has got the moody Monday blues—until she gets to school and finds out that her new class project is on the Amazing Human Body. That means skeletons and skulls, a trip to the hospital to see a real- life doctor, and a cloning experiment that could just create some double trouble for Judy and her friends! This is an excellent read for young girls. 

 Can you guess what the book of the week is? I’ll give you some clues…It’s written by Duncan BallIt’s about a very clever dog, and it’s loved by children!Yes you guessed it, SELBY SUPERSNOOP.Selby, the only talking dog in Australia and perhaps the world  is seeking out mysteries in his home town, Bogusville. This book is a combination of short stories that every  student should read and guess what? The Library has the whole Selby series.   

 This book is borrowed often so children must enjoy reading it. It is recommended  as the “Book of the Week”! It is one of the new books, written by Rowan McCauley, illustrated by Ash Oswald.  It is available from SB F GOG.It is about a girl who’s name is Olivia. She has a sleep-over at her best friend, Chin Chin’s house. And she doesn’t know she is in  for a surprise—when all sorts of terrible things happen! Read this book to find out!