Category Reviews

Great review of The Boy who could Fly in Magpies Magazine

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There’s a great review of The Boy who could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children, in the most recent issue of Magpies Magazine. Here’s a short extract:

Dubosarsky uses straight-forward, sometimes humorous language for the dialogue and episodes. The scripts are ideal for children to read or perform and can be staged simply or more extravagantly…Amy Golbach has illustrated one simple picture at the beginning of each tale to help orient children into the ancient period and characters. 

The review isn’t available online, but below is the full review, as a jpeg.

The Boy who Could Fly reviewed at Read Plus

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There’s a nice review of Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Boy who Could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children just published at Read Plus. Here’s a short extract:

Taking ideas from ancient Greek and Roman literature and mythology, Ursula Dubosarsky has applied her deft touch to transform these ancient stories into simple play scripts suited to performance . . . or just reading for pleasure for younger readers.

You can read the whole review here. 

Great review for The Boy who Could Fly in Reading Time!

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There’s a great review  in Reading Time for our latest title, Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Boy who Could Fly and Other Magical Plays for Children. Here’s a short extract:

The literary qualities of the plays are high, consistent with the quality of Dubosarsky’s novels. The language sparks, full of wit and vigour, and it is easy to visualise a performance from the text.

You can read the full review here. 

Great review for The Fastest Ship on BuzzWords

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There’s a great new review for Pamela Freeman’s The Fastest Ship in Space at Buzz Words.

Here’s a short extract:

The Fastest Ship in Space is a fun and adventure-filled story, with space pirates, smugglers and spaceships.
Boys and girls alike will enjoy this story, which is fast-paced and action-packed. The images throughout the book add to the story, helping to break up chapters and getting readers involved in the story.
You can read the whole review here.

A short but sweet review of Pocketful in Reading Time…

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Reading Time reviewer Mem Capp highly recommends the book. Here’s the review:

Max Fatchen grew up on the land, a fact reflected in his poems full of humour, fun and keen observation. Using a range of poetic styles, from couplet, to limerick, to prose poetry, he revels in family fun and folly, dances in the woodshed, and the joy of a flooding creek after times of drought; especially when it means being late for school.

A journalist and writer of more than 20 books, Fatchen wrote novels, picture books and poetry. This new edition of his much loved favourites has an introduction by Janeen Brian and playful  black and white illustrations by Kathy Creamer.

An important addition to any home or school library.  Highly recommended for ages 5+.

And another great review for Pocketful in Buzz Words

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Well-known children’s poet and novelist Di Bates has published a fabulous review of A Pocketful of Rhymes in Buzz Words. Here’s an extract:

What a wonderful idea it was of Australian publisher Christmas Press to introduce a second imprint to re-introduce children’s books which were popular in their day and/or which have gone on to become classics. Hence this collection of poems, his 13th book, written by Max Fatchen, first published in 1989 by Omnibus, is now given new life with an introduction by award-winning author/poet Janeen Brian, and illustrations by Kathy Creamer.

You can read the whole review here.

A great review for A Pocketful of Rhymes on Kids’ Book Review!

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There’s a fabulous review of A Pocketful of Rhymes on the excellent Kids Book Review site.

Here’s an extract:

I’m thrilled to see this book. As a poetry lover, I long for children to have access to poems that are so imaginative and clever being brought back to life. They are designed to inform, educate and entertain, bringing smiles and laughs to the reader in the process.

The poems vary in length. Some are short and sweet 4 lines. The 3 – 4 word sentences are as brilliant as the lengthy poems.

The illustrations complement the poems beautifully. Kathy Creamer’s translation of the poems is to be complimented. Overall, this is a welcome publication that should be in all schools and libraries in general. 

Check out other favourite titles available through Second Look, and those that are forthcoming.

You can read the whole review here.

Lovely review of Eleanor Elizabeth in Reading Time

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A lovely review of Libby Gleeson’s wonderful novel, Eleanor Elizabeth, in the new Second Look edition, has just been published in Reading Time. Here’s a short extract:

Truth be told, I loved this book. Once in, I couldn’t put it down. The slightly unusual way in which Eleanor thought intrigued me. Random thoughts are scattered throughout the book- things that she has heard, read or said that, although jarring for the first few occurrences, soon fit in like the missing pieces of a puzzle. The story flows easily, a quick but extremely enjoyable read.

The new edition of the book also includes the occasional line drawing in black and white, sketches of scenes and landscapes that carefully accentuate the novel and storyline in beautiful simplicity.

You can read the whole review here.

Excellent review of Eleanor Elizabeth on Read Plus

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We are delighted to report that the new Second Look edition of Libby Gleeson’s extraordinary first novel, Eleanor Elizabeth, has just received an excellent review on Read Plus.

Here’s a short extract:

Readers will readily identify with Eleanor’s loneliness, her curiosity and her sense of adventure, and follow along with her as dramatic circumstances force her to assume a role of great bravery and courage. The story still holds strong today and this new edition with line drawing illustrations by Beattie Alvarez should be a popular read in any school library.

You can read the whole review here.