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| Book Reviews |
A selection of recent book reviews is shown below.
To view our complete list, please select a category and click "Show Reviews".
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| Arabella Parker And The Primrose School Revolt |
Ray Murray
£5.99, Blue Jacaranda Publishing Ltd
Arabella Parker and the Primrose School Revolt is a superb read. It is full of fun and excitement and would appeal to children aged 7 - 11. The main character, Arabella, is a young courageous girl, full of energy and determined to use her special powers to help the world around her. Together, with friends and her wonderful Aunt Agatha they embark on an extraordinary adventure.
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| More in Children's Fiction... |
| Teach Me, Mummy! |
Kathy Dean
€12.00, Dean & Co Publishing
This book is intended to help parents, guardians and minders to express their joy and love to their children by offering them a systematic and specific early educational programme to follow from as early as birth. It provides activities which will stimulate a child mentally, physically and emotionally, thus supporting them in their overall developmental process.
This book is unique amongst other parents' resource books in that it is very practical: the activities in it follow the natural development of your child. These fun activities, which are designed for the first 6 years of your child's life, are arranged in easy-to-find daily, weekly, and then later monthly groups so that you can find just what your child needs at a particular age.
Produced after completing extensive educational research, both in their choice of topics and their contents, this book has been tested and piloted with very successful results in Ireland.
Extremely detailed activities and guidelines from the first month to six years of age, this book would suit first time parents, or for larger families with less time could also be used to 'dip in' and out of for age appropriate activities for children. An excellent addition to creche and pre-school shelves for childminders and childcare workers to structure activities for various age groups in a consistent manner. |
| More in Parenting... |
| Divine Chocolate Cookbook |
Linda Collister
£14.99, Absolute Press
The hugely popular Divine recipe book has now been relaunched in paperback – with a stunning new cover and the enthusiastic endorsements of Mary Berry and Lorraine Pascale added to the accolades. The ideal gift or culinary companion for chocolate lovers, discerning foodies and those who love to bake, the Divine Chocolate Cookbook is an unashamedly indulgent collection of over 100 chocolate recipes. Illustrated with striking food photography by Lisa Barber, the book features recipes from traditional favourites to more unusual creations which will impress and inspire. The book is published by Absolute Press and is out now at all good bookshops priced at £14.99.
The recipes were created for Divine by Linda Collister who is one of the country’s leading food writers with particular expertise in chocolate. Her most recent publications are the huge bestsellers that have accompanied series one and series two of The Great British Bake Off on the BBC. Recipes include Upside-Down Sticky Pear Pudding, White Chocolate Cookies studded with Cranberries, Hot Chocolate Brandy Soufflé and Sticky Peanut Butter Cake. There are even ideas for exotic chocolate cocktails and savoury dishes such as Roast Venison with Chocolate Sauce.
Divine’s chocolate has become well-known in culinary circles as a top choice in baking, now you can indulge in this collection of specially created Divine recipes -
Queen of Cakes Mary Berry says “A chocolate for all chocolate enthusiasts. Cooking, melting or just enjoying Divine Chocolate is just that”
Lorraine Pascale says “I often use Divine chocolate in my recipes as it tastes great and it’s good to know that I’m playing my part in a more equitable trading partnership”.
Of Divine’s dark chocolate made with 70% cocoa solids, Charles Campion says “[it is] very fruity, with a good texture and a long finish”.
In addition to the wonderful variety of recipes, the Divine Cookery Book also tells the unique story of how Divine was the dream of a co-operative of cocoa farmers in Ghana – and how that dream came true – with beautiful photographs from their cocoa farms. |
| More in Cookery... |
| Plight of the Wild Geese (Graphic Novel) |
Dermot Poyntz and Lee Grace
€14.99, Moccu Press
Full colour graphic novel. Based on The Williamite Wars in Ireland from the Siege of Athlone in 1691 to the Second Siege of Limerick in 1691, including the Battle of Aughrim. Also explores the fate of the Irish who left Ireland for France after the Treaty of Limerick in 1691, to fight for Louis XIV.
Exploring key events and figures in Ireland’s turbulent history, this is another valuable graphic novel from ground breaking Moccu Press that will help make Ireland’s history accessible to all, and attract reluctant readers and students of history. Available from Amazon and directly from www.moccupress.com |
| More in Irish / Gaelic Books... |
| A Walk in London |
Salvatore Rubbino
£12.99, Walker Books
Spending a day going round London can be a great idea for a trip over Half Term. You can make it as expensive or cheap a day as you like. Spend a day using your Oyster card on the bus (quite possibly the best way of seeing the sights) stopping off perhaps at a free gallery or museum and finding an open space to eat your sandwiches then you can have a lovely day for very little money. Use an open top tour bus, go to one of the more expensive tourist attractions and stop for lunch at a restaurant then you’ll still have a good day but it may cost a lot more.
A new book - “A Walk in London” by Salvatore Rubbino, published by Walker Books at £12.99 – would be the perfect introduction before you go. It’s the story of a little girl’s day going round London with her Mum - the title is a bit misleading as they don’t just walk, they take buses and boats too. The beautifully produced book is a wonderful combination of story and pictures (Salvatore Rubbino is at least as much an illustrator as a story teller, being shortlisted for the Victoria and Albert Museum Illustration Awards for the brilliant illustrations in his previous book A Walk in New York). Everything from the paper to the cover to the printing is of the highest quality and gives the book a really luxurious feel. It’s full of delightful and quirky details in the text, the pictures and not least the little snippets of information about London and its history dotted around the pages. The crowning glory is a fabulous fold out riverscape illustrating the little girl’s boat trip. It’s a book to settle down and enjoy before your trip as you plan your day. It’s hardback and quite bulky and not necessarily easy to carry around with you though you may find the children in your party hard to separate from this lovely book.
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| More in Holidays... |
| Christmas Magic |
Cathy Kelly
£12.99, HarperCollins
A festive collection of short stories by the natural heir to Maeve Binchy
Cathy Kelly, the number 1 best-selling Irish author, has created her first collection of heart-warming short stories. Christmas Magic is full of charming tales of life, love and the everyday dilemmas that we all face, all told in Cathy’s warm voice.
From Dolores and Genevieve, two spinster sisters who must finally break free from their mother’s powerful personality, to Alice, who is facing having to open her home and her heart to the one visitor that she doesn’t want this Christmas, from a captivating family story triggered by a letter to Lily’s disastrous arrival at her best friend’s wedding, these are stories to make you laugh, cry and nod in recognition.
Relax and unwind in front of a roaring fire and indulge yourself in these, and many other humorous and uplifting tales. Remember that Christmas comes but once a year, so let the magic reel you in…
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| More in Books for Grown Ups... |
| You Are What You Eat |
Serge Bloch
£8.99, Sterling
Serge Bloch whips up a scrumptious new concoction for his fans to savour! In this deliciously clever follow-up to Butterflies in My Stomach and Reach for the Stars, our young hero and his loyal dog, Roger, tackle another major aspect of life: eating. Mealtime should be a piece of cake, but this finicky eater eats like a bird. That drives his mum bananas because he really should have three square meals a day. What will happen when he dines at the home of a friend whose mum is a real health nut? Maybe hell discover that variety is the spice of life! Children might find these sayings puzzling at first, but Blochs witty and wonderful images, which mix whimsical line drawings with photographs of inanimate objects, make everything clear and will leave readers of all ages pleased as punch.
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| More in Health... |
| Irish Famine Workhouse |
Pat Hegarty
£7.99, Gill & Macmillan
This is the story of a family and how they survived the Irish Famine. Told through the eyes of 9 year old Declan, we see the failure of the potato crop in 1845 and the family’s attempts to survive on the land. After a second crop failure, the family is evicted and makes its way on foot to Dublin during the coldest winter in memory. Eventually, the family is forced to seek refuge in the workhouse and we experience the squalor of day to day life there for both the adults and children. Somehow the family survives and sets sail for a new life in America, leaving Declan in Dublin with his new apprenticeship.
Through flaps, pop-up diorama and vivid illustrations, the reality of the Irish faminea is brought to life for children and a great follow-up to the bestselling 'Life on a Famine Ship'.
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| More in Schools... |
| Utterly Gorgeous: Cards |
Natalie Abadzis
£7.99, Scholastic
Give all your greetings that personal touch with 30 oh-so-cute cards to create! Sensational cards for all occasions from the queen of ‘makes’ – totally individual and utterly gorgeous! Devised and illustrated by Natalie Abadzis, who has worked with Bang on the Door and Blue Peter, this quirky crafting kit is full of stylish inspiration. Just follow the simple instructions… and then add a dash of your own creativity to give each card your very own unique stamp! From 3D pop-up cards and funky invitations to magical motifs and pretty printed cupcakes, your gorgeous greetings will turn every head! The perfect book for girls and teens from eight to 14 who have a passion for all things crafty. |
| More in Children Activities... |
| 100 People Who Made History |
DK
£12.99, DK
This is a great book for all families to enjoy and ideal for helping with history homework. All families should have this book at home. Primary Times reviewers found it invaluable and even the parents learnt something new!!
Do you know who invented the World Wide Web? Any idea what Percy Spencer created? This is no ordinary history book: 100 People Who Made History is a guide to the people and ideas that have changed the world we live in. This book contains all the people you’d expect to find, and plenty that you wouldn’t! Take a seat and meet the people who have shaped history and discover how they did it.
Inspirational inventors and thoughtful thinkers rub shoulders with political leaders, sports stars, and entertainers in five absorbing chapters. From Marco Polo to Marie Curie via Elvis Presley, this top 100 comes from all over the world, taking in all types of people. Packed with edgy graphics and plenty of quirky facts, each profile describes the major influences and tells true stories about the movers and shakers from our history.
As well as important biographical information, what you discover in this guide is that many great people were influenced by others who came before them. There would be no Facebook without the Internet, and no Internet without computers. And there would be no computers without the great mathematicians and philosophers of ancient times. So who’s the genius – Steve Jobs or Pythagoras? It’s a tough call, and that’s why there are feature panels called ‘They couldn’t have done it without…’ revealing the people who made earlier contributions to the cause.
Full of other facts that draw you in, this book also includes many unexpected nuggets of information. Did you know that Mark Zuckerberg is colour blind, or that there are an estimated 16 million descendants of Genghis Khan? 100 People Who Made History is just the book to fill you in on all these essential details. Proving that history can be exciting and relevant, let’s hear it for the heroes from throughout the ages! Those who have saved lives, those who’ve improved lives, and those who’ve made our lives just that bit more enjoyable.
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| More in Children's Learning... |
| Utterly Gorgeous: Christmas |
Natalie Abadzis
£7.99, Scholastic
Designer Natalie Abadzis is the queen of ‘makes’, the creator of activities for The Funday Times, Zoey 101, Bang on the Door partworks and Blue Peter.
A super-stylish new activity series for girls and teens from eight to 14. Sensational cards to make, from 3-D birthday greetings and pop-up invitations to fantastic thank-yous. Christmas features stacks of festive ideas for a really crafty Christmas including Christmas cards, Advent calendars, table decorations and tree adornments.
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| More in Seasonal... |
| Dick Whittington (Vintage BBC Radio Panto) |
Various
£6.10, BBC AudioGO Ltd
Anita Harris, Kenneth Connor, Frank Thornton, Bernie Winters and Michael Robbins star in this traditional pantomime, recorded in front of a live audience and first broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on Christmas Day 1982. Featuring rousing songs and terrible jokes, it's perfect seasonal entertainment for all the family. Oh, yes it is! |
| More in Audio CD Books... |
| Oliver Twisted |
JD Sharpe (and Charles Dickens)
£6.99, Electric Monkey
"Flesh," the woe-begotten moaned at Oliver, baring teeth which were ragged and black. "Flesh" came another moan, and he turned to see two more behind. They began to shuffle towards him, barefoot. The world according to Oliver Twisted is simple. Vampyres feed on the defenceless, orphans are sacrificed to hungry gods and if a woe-begotten catches your scent it will hunt you forever. On the advice of a corpse, Oliver flees his ghastly orphan life to seek his destiny in the dark streets of old London Town, despite the perils of the woe-begotten zombie-infested journey. There he meets the shadowy Dodger, the evil old soul-stealer Fagin, and the menacing Bill Sikes, who is more beast than man. But will Oliver Twisted be the world's salvation, or its downfall?
If you think you know Oliver Twist, think again... An authentically Dickensian and genuinely inventive reimagining of Dickens' eternal classic, this is victorian England but not as we know it! Published February 2012. |
| More in Teens... |
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