Sarah CourtauldRecensioni

Genre:
Board books
Tone:
Amusing
Whimsical
Subject headings:
Pirates
Pirate ships
Treasure troves
Parties

The title says it all. The cover is just beautiful, which is what made me pick this title up. Included are many of the fairy tales you've undoubtedly heard or read about before. Brightly colored illustrations couple ten classics from the likes of Brothers Grimm and others.

I had high hopes for this book, based on the cover and the description, but in the end I just wasn't a fan. I didn't like either of the main characters; neither one has many endearing qualities. The narrator is a bit intrusive, and the childish illustrations didn't add much to the story. I'm sure there are kids who will love this book, but it didn't work for me.

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.

Infantil

My Title: A belly full of laughs and endless entertainment for everyone!

Author Sarah Courtauld has put together a very entertaining read that kids will really love. This is a tale about two very different sisters. Eliza who likes nothing more than battles against villains and dragons, and Lavender who just wants to be a pampered princess.

This book contains loads of quirky illustrations which beautifully adds to the zany storyline. (My personal favourite illustrations being Grandpa Joe, the villain Mordmont, the tearful rhinoceros, and the monstrous green moat-dragons!)
Expect your child to be very easily engaged with this book because of its vast amount of fun, humour, wit, jokes, fabulous adventures and its delightful characters.

Despite Granny's warning about the Black Death ringing in the protagonists (the girls) ears, they head out into the haunted forest and come face to face with an evil count – when Lavender gets kidnapped in the forest of Toothy you can expect an unpredictable and bumpy ride!

What will happen? - Both girls have a chance to fulfil their dreams...
It really is an entertaining read. This is a book that children will want to read over and over again!
Parents will enjoy sharing this story with their children at bedtime. It's ideal for early readers too!
I recommend this book.

I received a free paperback copy of this book in a first-reads giveaway.

"I'm a man of simple pleasures," he said. "All I ever wanted was a castle, my own pride of lions, a jeweled crown, a choir of elves singing me awake each morning, sainthood, the power to make gold, the best mustache in Europe, a Jacuzzi, an elephant from the indies, another one to be its friend, a singing giraffe, the power of invisibility, Magical Cheese Powers, a tiger with the feet of a lamb, the head of a lamb and the body of a lamb -- basically, a lamb -- power over the sea, power over the letter C..."

Dear Reader,
This is just a note to say, I cut the next 4,235 of Mordmont's simple pleasures, because really they weren't that necessary. Or simple. And because I like to save paper where I can.
Love,
Sidney the Tree

"...and a meringue that speaks Japanese," Mordmont said finally. "Is that really too much to ask?"

Moat dragons, interjections by Sidney the Tree, Prince Kanye the Anachronistic, musings of the life dreams and goals of a goat, knee-switching, the Black Death, and fairy tale obsession run amok combine to create a super fun children's book. Now THIS is a children's book that was actually written for children!

Sisters Eliza and Lavender live on the Old Tumbledown Farm in the Middle of Nowhere with Grandma Maud and Gertrude the goat. Eliza spends her time doing farm chores and dreaming of mystery-solving and swashbuckling adventures. Lavender spends her time getting out of farm chores, pining over princes, and practicing fainting. When Lavender disappears to find her prince and is kidnapped instead by Count Mordmont, Eliza and Gertrude set off to rescue her.

Another book that channels Roald Dahl, this fractured fairy tale is silly, hilarious fun, with so much nonsense, wordplay, gross disgustingness, asides, bad puns, and other goofiness kids will LOVE it, and probably fall out of their seats laughing. As I began reading it, I longed for the days when I had time to read aloud to the girls. Then one of my daughters (17 next month) asked me to help her curl her hair. I said I would, if while I did she took a look at this book, several chapters of which she then proceeded to read aloud to me because they were so funny. When I passed it along to my other daughter (14), she did the same thing. I can't WAIT to share this with my students.

The two sisters took two huge gulps of air, and then dived down into the stinking green water. And Lavender, her eyes shut tight, reached out below her, and touched something slimy. And Eliza, plunging downward, accidentally caught hold of the gnarled old leg...
...of a piano...
...tuner.

"I'm a man of simple pleasures," he said. "All I ever wanted was a castle, my own pride of lions, a jeweled crown, a choir of elves singing me awake each morning, sainthood, the power to make gold, the best mustache in Europe, a Jacuzzi, an elephant from the indies, another one to be its friend, a singing giraffe, the power of invisibility, Magical Cheese Powers, a tiger with the feet of a lamb, the head of a lamb and the body of a lamb -- basically, a lamb -- power over the sea, power over the letter C..."

Dear Reader,
This is just a note to say, I cut the next 4,235 of Mordmont's simple pleasures, because really they weren't that necessary. Or simple. And because I like to save paper where I can.
Love,
Sidney the Tree

"...and a meringue that speaks Japanese," Mordmont said finally. "Is that really too much to ask?"

Moat dragons, interjections by Sidney the Tree, Prince Kanye the Anachronistic, musings of the life dreams and goals of a goat, knee-switching, the Black Death, and fairy tale obsession run amok combine to create a super fun children's book. Now THIS is a children's book that was actually written for children!

Sisters Eliza and Lavender live on the Old Tumbledown Farm in the Middle of Nowhere with Grandma Maud and Gertrude the goat. Eliza spends her time doing farm chores and dreaming of mystery-solving and swashbuckling adventures. Lavender spends her time getting out of farm chores, pining over princes, and practicing fainting. When Lavender disappears to find her prince and is kidnapped instead by Count Mordmont, Eliza and Gertrude set off to rescue her.

Another book that channels Roald Dahl, this fractured fairy tale is silly, hilarious fun, with so much nonsense, wordplay, gross disgustingness, asides, bad puns, and other goofiness kids will LOVE it, and probably fall out of their seats laughing. As I began reading it, I longed for the days when I had time to read aloud to the girls. Then one of my daughters (17 next month) asked me to help her curl her hair. I said I would, if while I did she took a look at this book, several chapters of which she then proceeded to read aloud to me because they were so funny. When I passed it along to my other daughter (14), she did the same thing. I can't WAIT to share this with my students.

The two sisters took two huge gulps of air, and then dived down into the stinking green water. And Lavender, her eyes shut tight, reached out below her, and touched something slimy. And Eliza, plunging downward, accidentally caught hold of the gnarled old leg...
...of a piano...
...tuner.

4.5 stars. This book is full of punny humor and I read it in one night! There are footnotes too, I love that :D. It is a bit gory for kids though with illustrations showing detached limbs.... But fun for grown ups ha!

This easy reader serves as an informational text about bears, outlining the different kinds of bears, where bears live, and how cubs come about. The pages on new cubs are vague and make no mention of mating, but talk more about how cubs are raised by the mother. The book is labeled as a level two easy reader even though the text does not seem to meet the criteria for level two readers. The text is still large and there are few lines on each page. More two-syllable words are used, though, and there is a map at the end. The map makes the book more difficult because it requires readers to use different literacy skills to understand the map and interpret the key. After a map there are a series of comprehension activities in the form of puzzles. The short text is made interactive, and readers may see this as a fun game after the difficult task of reading. The illustrations look like a mix of drawings and watercolor painting and they portray bears as adorable, cuddly, furry friends. Although this may seem problematic, it may be better than always portraying bears as ferocious, rabid, animals. The illustrations attract readers to the book instead of pushing them away. The illustrations, maps, and puzzles make this easy reader an engaging educational experience for new readers.

This book cronicles the life of a pirate ship. From setting sail to hiding the treasure on a deserted island.

I perticularily liked this book because of how the words are morphed into shapes that complement the pictures being shown. Then text is easy to read and is not too large or small. It is a good book to read to children.

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