Monster School by DC Green

Monster School by DC Green

 

Publisher: Ford Street

Publication Date: October 2013

ISBN: 9781925000078

Pages: 291

 Format: paperback

Price: AUD $18.95

Category: Fantasy

Age Guide: 10 +

 

Blurb:

‘Beware! You are entering The City of Monsters.

All tourists will be eaten. Have a nice day!’

 

PT, the swamp boy, is terrified. During his first class at Monster School, mafia goblins threaten to murder him. He is saved ... by the meanest monsters in school –

·         A vampire with attitude

·         A socially challenged zombie

·         A giant spider called Bruce!

Now PT is really sweating. If the Dead Gang learns his secret, he’ll spin on a kebab stick before recess, imagine what will happen if the dragon finds out!

 

Review:

Monsterrific!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Monster School. It was well written and I also loved the illustration at the beginning of every chapter. The illustrations help bring the book alive and also will encourage young readers to keep reading.

 

It’s defiantly a book worth reading. Boys will enjoy reading all about PT and his Monster friends.

DC Green really has written a marvellous book to encourage young people to read. I may be well over 10 years old but I did really enjoy it and it would have been something I would have enjoyed reading when I was younger.

 

There should be more books written to encourage boys to read.

 

 Being about Monster’s it’s aimed at boys, but I do think girls who are into vampires will be interested in this book too.

 

5/5

 

About the Author

DC Green:

Surf journalist DC Green has won multiple big awards, had thousands of articles published in over forty countries and roamed the world’s greatest surf spots with the likes of eleven-times world champion Kelly Slater. Children’s author DC Green has won two very small awards, had five children’s novels published in one country and Kelly Slater no longer returns his calls, DC doesn’t mind. he loves motivating even the most reluctant of readers and writers. His school shows, that have toured every Australian state, have been acclaimed as ‘bizarre. Egotistical, enthralling, funny, and not to be missed’, while DC’s humorous fantasy Erasmus James series has been hailed ‘the finest written in the history of English literature about mutants chooks and ninja horses’.

 

Also by DC Green:

·         Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine

·         Erasmus James, King of Kid’s Paradise

·         Erasmus James and the Grat Siege

·         Three Little Surfer Pigs

·         Stinky Squad

The Maximus Black Files – The Only Game in the Galaxy by Paul Collins

The Maximus Black Files – The Only Game in the Galaxy by Paul Collins

 

Publisher: Ford Street

Publication Date: September 2013

ISBN: 9781925000061

Pages: 333

 Format: paperback

Price: AUD $19.95

Category: Science Fiction (space opera)

Age Guide: 12 +

 

Blurb:

In a galaxy of cutthroat companies, shadowy clans and a million agendas, spy agency RIM barely wields enough control to keep order.

Maximus Black is RIM’s star cadet. But he has a problem. One of RIM’s best agents, Anneke Longshadow, knows there’s a mole in the organisation.

And Maximus has a lot to hide...

 

Review:

 

An epic finish to a fantastic trilogy!!

 

Such a thrilling read! Paul has written an exceptional trilogy, and I never imaged so much could happen to both Anneke and Maximus in such a short time.

 

I highly recommend The Maximus Black Files to any Science Fiction Fan. All school libraries should have many copies for their students to read.

 

The Maximus Black Files is by far the most advanced Science Fiction read you’ll find. It’s set way into the future. Travelling through the universe is much more advanced than what you see on any episode of Stargate SG1.

 

It was very exciting to learn more about Maximus Black in this book. More of his history was revealed in The Only Game in the Galaxy than the previous two books.

 

5/5

 

About the Author

Paul Collins:

Together with Michael Pryor, Paul is the co-editor of the highly successful fantasay series. The Quentaris Chronicles: he has also contributed seven titles to the series as an author. Paul’s other work’s include The Jelindel Chronicles, The Earthborn Wars Trilogy and The World of Grrym trilogy written in collaboration with Danny Willis.

Paul has been the recipient if several awards, notably the inaugural Peter McNamara, the A Bertram Chandler, the Aurealis, and the William Stheling. He has been short-listed for many others inclcuding the Speech Pathology Australia and Ditmar awards.

Paul has worked as a pub bouncer, served time in the commandos, has a black belt in both tae kwon do and ju jitsu, was a kick boxer, and trained with the Los Angeles Hell Drivers.

 

Visit him at www.paulcollins.com.au or www.quentaris.com

 

 

Also by Paul Collins:

• Cyberskin
• Dragonlinks
• Dragonsight
• Wardradon
• The Wizard’s Torment
• Swords of Quentaris
• Slaves of Quentairs
• Princess of Shadows
• The Forgotten Prince
• Vampires of Quentaris
• The Spell of Undoing
• The Earthborn
• The Skyborn
• The Hiveborn
• Allira’s Gift (with Danny Willis)
• Lords of Quibbitt (with Danny Willis)
• Morgassas’ Folly (with Danny Willis)
• Trust Me! (editor)

 

The Maximus Black Files – Mole Hunt by Paul Collins

The Maximus Black Files – Mole Hunt by Paul Collins

 

Publisher:  Ford Street

Publication Date:  2011

ISBN:  9781921665264

Pages: 347

 Format: paperback

Price: AUD $19.95

Category:  Science Fiction

Age Guide:  Young Adults

 

Blurb:

In a galaxy o cutthroat companies, shadowy clans and a million agendas, spy agency RIM barely wields enough control to keep order.

Maximus Black is RIM’s star cadet. But he has a problem. One of RIM’s best agents, Anneke Longshadow, knows there’s a mole in the organisation.

And Maximus has a lot to hide...

Review:

What a great start to an amazing trilogy. Anneke and Maximus are two main characters full of mystery. They are both RIM agents working against one another. They are great characters. I like how bit by bit we learn more about these two great characters.

 

It’s the best science fiction I have read. I love how it’s so far into the future and the technology is advanced. It makes you wonder what type of technology there will be in the future.

 

About the Author

 

Paul Collins:

Paul Collins sold his first professional fantasay story in 1977 to the US magazine ‘Weirdbook’. The best of his short stories have been collected in The Government in Excile (1994). A later collection, Stalking Midnight, was pubplished by cosmos.com.

His first fantasy novel for young readers was The Wizard’s Torment.

Paul also edited the young adult anthology Dream Weavers, Australia’s first heroic fantasy anthology. Fantastic Worlds and Tales from the Wasteland followed.

Together with Michael Pryor, Paul is the co-editor of the highly successful fantasy series, The Quentaris Chronicles; he has also contributed seven titles to the series as an author. Paul’s other works include The Jelindel Chronicles, The Earthborn Wars trilogy and The World of Grrym trilogy written in collaboration with Danny Willis.

Paul has been the recipient of several awards, notably the inaugural Peter McNamara, the Aurealis, and the William Atheling. He has been short-listed for many others, including the Speech Pathology Australia and Ditmar awards.

Paul has worked as a pub bouncer, served time in the commandos, has a black belt in both tae kwon do and ju jitsu, was a kick boxer, and trained with the Los Angeles Hell Drivers.

 

Visit him at www.paulcollins.com.au or www.quentaris.com

 

Also by Paul Collins:

• Cyberskin
• Dragonlinks
• Dragonsight
• Wardradon
• The Wizard’s Torment
• Swords of Quentaris
• Slaves of Quentairs
• Princess of Shadows
• The Forgotten Prince
• Vampires of Quentaris
• The Spell of Undoing
• The Earthborn
• The Skyborn
• The Hiveborn
• Allira’s Gift (with Danny Willis)
• Lords of Quibbitt (with Danny Willis)
• Morgassas’ Folly (with Danny Willis)
• Trust Me! (editor)

 

Review of Welcome Home by Christina Booth

Welcome Home  - Christina Booth

 

 

Publisher: Ford Street          

Publication Date: 1 October 2013 HC, 1 February 2014 PB

ISBN: 9781925000092 PB 9781925000085 HC

Pages: 32 pages

 Format: Portrait Picture book

Price:  AUD $26.95 HC AUD $16.95 PB

Category:  Children’s Fiction

Age Guide: 7 +

 

Blurb:

Welcome Home is the story of a young boy and a whale as she swims into the river harbour seeking safety and a resolution to the violent past relationship between whales and man. This prosaic journey, accompanied  with soft sketchy watercolour images, reveals how the past can impact our future. Can the boy make amends for the past? Can the whale forgive and return to what was once her ancestor’s home?

Whaling is a horrific image to portray in any literature yet this story offers its history and consequences to children and adults in a gentle, safe way. This story does not avoid the facts but ends with hope and reconciliation, using history to show the consequences of our actions and choices.

 

Review:

This is a really good book to teach primary school children of the effects of whaling. The watercolour images portray the story in a way that children can clearly see and understand.

 

I really like the last two pages in the book as it is the history of whaling, describes the whales, how the story came about.

 

This book should be in all schools as it’s a great educator tool to teach children and their families the effects of whaling.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Christina Booth:

Christina Booth is an award winning Australian children’s author/illustrator. Four of her picture books have gained CBCA’s Notable Children’s Book Awards. Her picture book, Kip, the story of a crowing rooster living in the city, was awarded a CBCA Honour Book in 2010. Tow of Christina’s illustrated books (In The Deep Red Desert, Angie Lionetto-Civa; The Carrum Sailing Club, Claire Saxby), were selected to be read on ABC’s Playschool program in 2012.

 

Also by Christina Booth:

 

·         Potato Music

·         Kip

·         I Wish There Were Dinosaurs