Children's Fiction

Does this book even need an introduction? It would seem that anyone who is anyone has read a Harry Potter book.

The Philosopher's Stone is where it all begins with Harry's first year at Hogwarts School of magic. It's very easy to sympathise with the young Harry as we see him escape from his horrible life with the Dursleys. He quickly forms a friendship with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and together they solve the mystery of the Philosopher's Stone.

Harry, Ron and Hermione return for their third year at Hogwarts, all is not good in the wizarding world, Sirius Black has escaped from the famed prison Azkaban.

This is where the series begins to darken in tone, we start to see some the prejudices that are rife in the magical community, who apart from Dumbeldore would trust a werewolf. The Dementors are a nice touch, even if they are a bit like the Ring Wraiths from Lord of the Rings.

This is the second African adventure we first met Martine in the story of The White Giraffe a beautiful book but Laurel St. John. This second book is a sequel and expands on the authors wonderful love of animals and the spiritual thoughts of the African people, who rely very much on stories handed down by their forebears.

This story starts in school classroom - all the charactors are from nursery rhymes that we know and love.

They are great! The wolf can not add up how many people he has eaten so how does he know when he is full! The ugly sisters sit there pulling the other's hair! The troll goes up to sleeping beauty and wants to pounce but the dinner lady stops him! The choice today is turkey and peas or snakes and snails!!

This is a two CD audio collection that is written and read by Terry Jones. A wonderful author and animator of the written word. I loved this collection of stories, some are short some are in two parts but all are wonderfully told about Dragons, the Star of the Farmyard, The Improving Mirror and many more. Children will love this collection and some children may have also seen the The Saga of Eric the Viking on childrens television which he also wrote.

Book 2 -This is another fabulous disc for young people and adults to listen to in the car on a journey.

Emily as we know is a girl, but when she goes into water she becomes a mermaid.

In SPIRIT WALKER the second book of Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Torak has to find a cure for the sickness that is horribly killing the Raven Tribe who adopted him when he killed the demon bear. But who are his friends and foes and how does he cope with the fact that he is a spirit walker.

If Michelle Paver had been born in the ancient times that here stories are set she would have been the tribe storyteller/crone without a doubt. Her use of language is wonderful and inventive e.g Sky is Up, River is Wide Water, Humans are Tailless, or Snow is Bright Soft Cold - this kind of creativity runs throughout the three books and audio cds.

Children of the 23rd Century is a first novel by Mel Hogan. I loved it and could not put it down. When is the next one in print? I want more! I have met Mel and found him an amazing man, a musician, who on his last trip to Australia met with an accident which resulted in him being stuck in one place to recover with nothing to do and so this book came into being and evolved.

The story for me begins at the start of the second chapter where Ethan Knight has just graduated from the Flying Academy and is chosen to go on a very special mission.

This is an absolutely brilliant kidult book - a rite of passage for 14 year old Prince Marcus from Heliopolis who goes insearch of his father gone missing on a diplomatic mission but finds himself falling foul of the darstadly Titus. As a result of the ensuing battle Marcus and the crew of his aero:cruiser find themselves tumbling below the clouds of Cloudworld into a cold grey underworld whereupon his adventures really begin.