Review: The Fabulous Four Fish Fingers by Jason Beresford

KangaRuby bounced, Nightingale soared and The Chimp swung with Slug Boy gripped in his fingers. The scene that greeted them was truly terrible… 

After an encounter with a crisp-loving elf, best friends Gary, Bel, Ruby and Morris are given superpowers. In their new identities, The Chimp, Nightingale, KangaRuby and Slug Boy must stop super-scary (and super-hairy) villains Jumper Jack Flash and The Panteater from stealing all the sweets (and pants) in Tumchester. But first the Fabulous Four Fish Fingers need to learn to work as a team (and remember not to step on Slug Boy).

Four friends following their escapee pet parrot into a derelict house accidentally summon a crisp-loving, purple tracksuit-wearing elf named Cyril. Cyril grants the foursome one wish and after a little dithering they ask to be turned into superheroes and within minutes a brand new team of superheroes is born, each one in possession of the powers of a different animal: Gary becomes The Chimp, Ruby is Kangaruby, Bel becomes Nightingale and Morris (poor Morris) ends up as Slug Boy. 

For their hometown of Tumchester these newly acquired powers could not be more timely as two particularly nasty criminals are on the loose, their goal to steal all the sweets in town. The Panteater (an anteater who is allergic to ants) shows no mercy to anyone who gets in his way, using his super-long tongue to whisk away the pants of his victims, and now he has teamed up with a man-rabbit-pirate thing,Jumper Jack Flash, so-called because he ties people up with their own jumpers. Can the Fabulous Four Fish Fingers learn to use their new powers, and work together as a team without squabbling, in time to stop the crime wave and unmask the evil genius behind them?

 

This book is bonkers and 7+ kids will love it. Aimed at children who love the likes of Roald Dahl, David Walliams and Andy Stanton, it is a very funny, entertaining story that will have young readers giggling away incessantly. The book's author, Jason Beresford, does not yet have the writing skills to match these three kings of children's literature, but it is still a cracking read, and an impressive debut.

There are two key elements to this book's appeal. The first is the off-the-wall humour that runs throughout the whole story. I'm not just talking about the occasional funny moment, kids will find a laugh-out-loud moment on nearly every page. For me, as an adult reader, I found some this humour to be a little forced in places, as if the author was trying a little too hard to be funny, (something I never felt when reading Dahl, Walliams, etc), but I would doubt that many young readers would agree with me. The Panteater and Jumper Jack Flash are like something you might find in a Monty Python sketch, and I would not be surprised if Jason Beresford grew up on a TV diet of the best of British comedy like Python, Black Adder and Red Dwarf.

However, although the humour is what will keep kids totally engrossed in the story, the real heart and soul of the book are the characters of the Fabulous Four Fish Fingers themselves. These are a group of unremarkable children who have been friends for as long as they can remember. They are not the kind of kids who stand out at school (except for Morris, who seems to be the preferred target of his school's resident bully), and so when they acquire powers that could make them stand out from the rest it takes some time for them to come to terms with this monumental change in their lives, a change that could tear their friendship apart. Morris, in particular, feels excluded from the group because of his seemingly rubbish superhero identity and power (would you want to turn into a slug and be known as Slug Boy, but every one of the Four has to deal with their own insecurities and failings before they can gel toegterh as a team of superheros rather than just as group of friends.

As with most books if this ilk there are many accompanying illustrations, perfectly produced by Vicky Barker. Ms Barker's images not only complement the text well, they also add brilliantly to the humour, by giving readers a visual reference for the characters (and especially the wacky villains) created from Beresford's insane imagination.

The Fabulous Four Fish Fingers was published on 1 August and my thanks go to the lovely people at Catnip for sending me a copy to read. Why not head on over to the Fabulous Four Fish Fingers website at http://www.thefabulousfourfishfingers.com/ to read the first chapter and find out more about the characters.

Review: Arabesque by Colin Mulhern

Amy May is the best at everything she does. But how do you know you're really the best until you're tested? Until you're pushed to the limit?

A botched kidnapping attempt drags Amy and her best friend into the depths of a criminal underworld, a world where the players think with bullets and blackmail. Where they will stop at nothing to get what they want.

And what they want, only Amy May can provide.

This is going to be a fairly short review (honest!). Not only because I am trying to cut back on the length of my ramblings, but also because I have some frustrations regarding this book that I can't go on about too much as I would be creating massive spoilers.

I haven't (yet) read Colin Mulhern's debut YA novel, Clash, although on the strength of this one I am definitely going to try to find the time in the not-too-distant future. Crime is definitely becoming one of the genres of the moment for young adults, and Colin Mulhern is up there with the rest of the crowd as far as the quality of his writing and his characters are concerned. Arabesque is a gritty crime thriller that if televised would sit very well as a post watershed drama. It has a cracking fast-paced storyline, and I absolutely loved the main character Amy May. 

Amy has been brought up by her father to be someone who strives to be the best at whatever she does. This does not just include her promising career as a potential Olympic gymnast - in the early chapters of the book we are given hints that her father has for some reason brought her up to be able to look after herself, be it through hand-to-hand combat or even with a firearm. Initially we can only guess as to why this might be, but as the story progresses we are drip-fed occasional morsels of information that add to Amy's slightly unusual upbringing.

A botched crime leads to Amy and her best friend Mia being kidnapped. Unfortunately for the girls, the group that kidnap them are more than a little inept, and they very quickly find themselves at the mercy of Andrew Galloway, a far more ruthless career criminal. Galloway has plans for Amy, and in order to ensure that she follows them he separates her from Mia, who is taken away to a place where more than her life is at risk. Amy has to decide - will she try to protect her friends by carrying out Galloway's diabolical plan? Or will she forget Mia and try to save her own skin?

I mentioned at the start of this review that I harboured a number of frustrations regarding Arabesque. Before I go on to them I just want to state that I loved the majority of this book. I found it exciting and tense, and think it would make a great read for older teens - it does deal with some fairly adult themes that would make it unsuitable for younger teens. However, there were also one or two things I took issue with. The first of these was a major coincidence that enters the story a handful of chapters before the end. Some might call it a major twist (I saw it coming a mile off), and following some time reflecting over it I can just about accept it, and on its own I think it would have gone pretty much ignored in this review. However, something happens at the very end of the book that in my opinion just does not make any sense at all. I'm trying to explain myself a bit more without creating spoilers, and I think the best I can say is that a character ends up somewhere that they really should not be. There is just no reasonable explanation for this character's presence at this stage of the story. Unless of course, I have missed something completely in the earlier part of the story. 

And that's all I can say about it. Please read the book - it is well worth your time - but I would love to know if anyone out there shares my opinion.

My thanks go to the fab Non at Catnip Books for sending me a proof copy of Arabesque to review.

Review: The Court Painter's Apprentice by Richard Knight

'Paint what you see, Johann; not what you think you see.' This is the advice that Hugo, master portrait painter, gives to his protege, Johann. But Johann's talent for painting the truth runs deeper than anyone can ever imagine. Johann soon discovers how changing the portraits he paints, can change the lives of his subjects. But with the power to bring good fortune to those around him, Johann is soon tempted to change his own...

I quite often find that small independent publishers publish some great stories that fall short because of the quality of the editing. This is most often simply down to manpower issues – less staff means less time to edit as thoroughly as might happen with one of the majors. This is MOST DEFINITELY NOT the case with Catnip Publishing – every one of their books that I have read so far has been a little gem in one way or another, both as a story and in the quality of its editing. Catnip really know their stuff, and most importantly of all they know what makes a good story that will engage a young reader. Great books from Catnip that you may have heard mentioned on The Book Zone or elsewhere include Edwin Spencer: Mission Improbable by JD Irwin, Clash by Colin Mulhern, and The Dead Ways by Christopher Edge. Now you can add The Court Painter’s Apprentice by Richard Knight to that list.

The Court Painter’s Apprentice is a great example of quality rather than quantity. My proof copy weighed in at only 175 pages, and yet the story it contains is not missing any of the key elements one would expect in a book for the 9+ age group: a gripping plot; an intriguing and original premise (the concept of being able to change a person’s destiny and character by making subtle changes to a painting of them); an element of horror that will send chills down the reader’s spine; a handful of great characters who are written in such a way that the story, however fantastic, is completely believable; and a cracking, mysterious twist towards the end.

This is the perfect book for all young readers who like a good mystery story, but especially for those who enjoy historical fiction or who are developing an interest in art and paintings. However, its appeal is not, I believe, solely restricted to middle grade readers as I think it holds something for everyone. Sometimes when I am reading a book written for children or Young Adults, and I spot things that do not appeal to me as an adult, I have to remind myself that I need to look at the story as if I were a member of the target market. With this book I never had to make this mental shift, and I feel it has great cross-generational appeal.

My thanks go to the wonderful people at Catnip for sending a copy of this book to review.

Review: The Dead Ways by Christopher Edge

Ghostly apparitions on abandoned motorways... Corpses escaping from hospital morgues... Skeletons clawing their way out of their graves... THE DEAD WAYS ARE OPENING.

The Government has a plan to clean up the environment - closing down motorways and returning the roads to nature. When Scott Williams' father is found dead in his government office, Scott resolves to find out the truth behind his death. What he uncovers is a far-reaching and sinister conspiracy to open ancient lines of power sealing this world from the next. As the roads close, the dead will wake. Soon Scott is thrust headlong into a deadly race against time. It'll be the end of the world if he loses.

My mother always used to tell me that the best things came in small packages. If that is true then The Dead Ways by Christopher Edge is a perfect example of this maxim. At a mere 208 pages it weighs in way below most horror stories for the 11+ age group, but even so it still packs quite a punch.

Main character Scott is the son of a civil servant who is very much involved in a project known as the Greening of the Roads, whereby the government plans to close down a number of the country’s motorways and replace them with environmentally railways. However, there is much more to this new initiative than meets the eye and Scott soon finds his life changing in ways he never would have predicted, first through a failed kidnap attempt and then when his father is discovered dead, apparently having committed suicide.

Alongside Scott’s story is that of Jason, a Detective Inspector in the police force. Whilst travelling home one night Jason encounters what can only be described as a ghostly apparition; a dark hooded figure that passes through the metal walls of his car and attacks him so that "the breath was crushed from his body as a soul-searing agony rushed through his veins". Unfortunately he calls for back-up and from that moment on his career would appear to be on something of a decline.

Eventually the paths of these two main characters cross and they find themselves up to their necks in a conspiracy that stretches right to the roots of the government, with a super-creepy cult trying to open the Dead Ways of the book’s title – an event that would have disastrous consequences for everyone.

This is not your everyday zombie book (of which there are many on the market at the moment). In fact, although the dead do rise I did not associate them at all with the zombies that seem to be flavour of the month in kids’ and YA books at the moment. I think in my mind I had them down as more ghostly than zombie-like, but they are none the less scary for it. There is also not a great deal of gore within the story, and again I think this adds to the creep factor of the book. Unlike most zombie books though it is not the zombies themselves that are the most creepy – this honour must go to the cult members. And believe me, they are nasty.

This is the first book in a series and as such although the initial storyline is concluded to a degree there are a lot of questions left unanswered. I guess you could liken it to Darren Shan’s Cirque Du Freak in this respect – a short first book to set up the characters and story, with (hopefully) many more books to follow. I am definitely keen to see how Christopher Edge develops his story in the sequel, although I do not yet have any information on when this might be published.

My thanks go to the good people at Catnip Books for sending me a copy of The Dead Ways to read.

Review: Edwin Spencer - Mission Improbable by J.D. Irwin

Edwin Spencer is the odd one out in his family. While his sisters and brother are high achievers (if decidedly uncool) he struggles at school and is happiest playing football with his mate Nat. Then the general boredom and misery of school is interrupted by a series of bizarre events Edwin starts to hear strange voices, and his science teacher of all people tells him that King Janus of Hysteria needs his help. As Edwin doubts his sanity, a whirling vortex appears in his bathroom! Before he knows it, he's been swept into a parallel world a world where they really need his help. If only Perpetua Allbright the school swot wasn't there with him...

I started this blog back in October 2009 as a way of relieving the frustrations I was feeling at work where trying to encourage the children to read and use the school library was beginning to feel like a near impossible task. Nearly eight months on I am am still amazed at the response I have had from children, parents, teachers, librarians and in  particular authors and their publishers. At no point did I think that I would be sent books for free, and I know I am incredibly lucky in this respect. One of the nicest things that comes from being sent books is that occasionally I will receive one from a debut author who is being published by a smaller publishing company as through this I have discovered some really good books that I otherwise may have ignored or not stumbled across in my local Waterstones or on Amazon. Edwin Spencer - Mission Improbable is one such book, and I loved it.

In the last couple of years the market has been flooded with Young Adult books and publishers can't seem to get enough of them. This therefore means that many aspiring authors are pitching their work at this level, and there is a relative shortage of good adventure stories for what the americans would called Middle Grade. J.D. Irwin has helped reduce this drought by one as Edwin Spencer is perfect for the 9-12 age group. It has everything a boy (and girl) in this age group could ask for in a book - action, adventure, comedy (it is very funny), fantasy and plenty of scary moments.

For me, the key to this book's appeal is its main character, the eponymous Edwin Spencer. Edwin reminds me of many boys I have taught over the years. He is seriously disaffected as far as school is concerned, compounded by the fact that his three siblings are all high achievers, and therefore nothing he does ever going to be good enough for his parents. Where his brother and sisters are excelling at their hoework and completeing it with days to spare, Edwin instead devotes his spare time to playing football with his best mate. I couldn't help but feel really sorry for poor Edwin - his mother has even given him an encyclopedia to read... "one page a day - as we agreed" she says. Whilst on ths subject of Edwin's parents I will mention my only real criticism of this book - we simply do not see enough of them beyond their initial description, and it is a description that makes us simply beg for more:

 "Mrs Spencer was a horsy-looking woman with a generous moustache and enormous teeth; but she knew what suited her and had worn the same sugar-pink lipstick for twenty-five years. She was married to Mr Spencer. Unusually short and entirely bald, he was the 'Head of Hair' at Templeton Grove Wigs and Toupees'".

Before long Edwin's concerns about the unrealistic expectations of his parents, and the normal day-to-day misery of going to school soon pale into insignificance as he finds himself transported through a magical vortex to a very different parallel universe populated by wizards, knights, dragons and a king who is grieving for his dead son..... who just happens to be the spitting image of Edwin. So begins a Prisoner of Zenda-esque adventure story, with Edwin being asked to impersonate the dead prince in order keep the kingdom from falling into the hands of enemies that have been waiting for the dynastic line to be broken. What a choice.... just hours before Edwin had been worrying about school work and bullies and now he is being asked to fool a population into believing he is their beloved prince.

As I already mentioned, it is Edwin's character that is the highlight for me in this book. All the decisions he makes are realistic, and children will have no problem relating to him and his actions. Many children feel that they live in the shadow of a more academic or more talented brother or sister, and most will also recognice the problems Edwin faces at school. He is very much a reluctant hero, and children love a main character who has to dig deep within themselves to find the qualities needed to save the day. It makes it all the more easy for them to be able to imagine themselves in that situation, even if it is in a different world where magic is very real.

Edwin is not the only wonderful character in this story; he is supported by a host of colourful secondary characters, the most notable being the strangely named Perpetua Allbright - yup, with a name like that she could only be one of the cleverest girls in his school. Initially I was concerned that Perpetua may become a little irritating, but the author develops her character very well, and the banter between Edwin and her provides many of the funniest moments throughout the story. Boys will be glad to hear that their relationship has no element of romance at all, instead they develop a supportive and close friendship that helps them both to deal with the strange and increasingly dangerous situations they find themselves in. As well as Perpetua there are also the inhabitants of the magical  kingdon of Hysteria, all of whom bring something to this delightful story.

As well as great characters this book also has a good storyline delivered with a fresh and interesting voice; at no point does the author talk down to her audience and the plot is at times challenging as it twists and turns and keeps the reader guessing until the very end. There are some pretty scary moments, but the darkness is cleverly lightened with the comic comments made by the various characters. Readers (and those being read to as this is the perfect bedtime story book) will find themselves exerperiencing a full range of emotions as Edwin strives to help the mourning king and his subjects in their quest to save the kingdom from the evil Umbrians. Will they be successful? You will have to read the book to find out. All I will say is that the book doesn't end on a cliffhanger and there is a very satisfying conclusion to the story. I'm now keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.

Edwin Spencer - Mission Improbable by J.D. Irwin is published by Catnip and is available to buy right now.