Children’s Book Reviews by Yollie

This is what the dust jacket reads:  

I’m scared.

Scared I’m a coward.

Scared we’re trapped.

Scared that it’s my own

ghost standing at the bottom

of the stairs, waiting for me . . .

That this is it –

all that’s left of my life.

In this incredible re-creation of life in the annexe, Sharon Dogar re-awakens Peter van Pels: his thoughts, his hopes, his fears, his feelings, his words and his dreams.

As I read this book I was drawn into the annexe. When Peter wished to be outside, I did too. When he wanted to scream at the world and yell as loud as he could , no matter who heard him, I wanted to scream too. Slowly Peter begins to fall in love with Anne. He has so much longing for her that he hardly notices all the signs indicating that they may have been found out.

Then the moment comes; the eight in the annexe are betrayed. From here on the book tells of the camps, of the torture, the hangings, the gasing, the screaming, all the death.

 I would recommend this book to older children and adults. It is a wonderful story, although there are obviously terrible subjects such as the Holocaust and impossibly terrifying places like Auschwitz.

This book is definitely worth a five star rating – ***** Thank you Sharon Dogar for writing a wonderful book and helping to keep this important subject fresh in our minds.

The amazing sequel to At the Sign of the Sugared Plum.

It is a year after the plague and Hannah is desperate to get back to London and re-open her and her sister’s sweetmeats shop. However Sarah, Hannah’s older sister, is not so sure after all many are saying that the plague may still be around and there have been terrible prophecies indicated to this year – 1666.

When fires begin to rage in London, Hannah is sure they will be stopped. The king is helping put them out afterall.
However as smoke begins to fill the air and block out the sun she’s not so sure.
What if the fire gets to the shop? … What would Sarah say? … What should she do? … How would she get her little sister out alive? …

Join Hannah in this excellent adventure as she along with her younger sister try to escape the Great Fire of London!!

At the Sign of the Sugared Plum is one of those books that draws you in and really makes you feel like you are in London; alive while you watch others become infected and cry out in pain before slipping away. This is a gripping tale of terror!

When the plague strikes London people begin to drop like flies. Can sisters Hannah and Sarah stay alive during this terrible time, when the Bills of Mortality are saying that there are 10 thousand dead in a week.

Here is what the dust jacket reads:

” You be going to live in the City, Hannah? ” Farmer Price asked, pushing his battered hat up over his forehead. ” Wouldn’t think you’d want to go there . . . Times like this, I would have thought your sister would try and keep you away.”

It is 1665 and Hannah is full of excitement at the prospect of her first trip to London. She is going to help her sister, Sarah, in her sweetmeats shop, ‘The Sugared Plum’. But Hannah does not get the welcoming reception she expected. Sarah is horrified that Hannah did not get her message to stay away: the Plague is threatening to take hold of London . . .

Through Hannah’s eyes, Mary Hooper brilliantly recreates the smells, sounds and sights of seventeenth-century London life. Hannah’s excitement at coming to the big city is vividly evoked, as is the growing terror of a seemingly unstoppable plague that takes hold of the city, street by street, house by house.

An amazing book that everyone should read! With delicious recipes for sweetmeats and candies!

‘ Talk about Horrible History!!’ Henrietta

‘ Couldn’t put it down!!’ Susie

The Blizzard Wizard by Frank Hinks is an imaginative twist on a classic tale.
This book had lovely, amusing illustrations and my little brother ( 7 years old ) adored the way this book was written.
‘Eric and Drago forever !!!’ My little brother

Here’s a little bit about the book: One touch of the Blizzard Wizard and body, mind and spirit turn to ice. With the unwitting help of foolish Cloud 9 the Princess of the Night frees the Blizzard Wizard from prison and he turns the Garden and the Gardener and with the Garden the whole of Ramion into ice. With the help of rabbit Scrooey- Looey the boys set out to gather earth from the bottom of the pond where the Ducky Rocky lives (surrounded by Globerous Ghosts, Mystic Mummies, Venomous Vampires and other creatures of the forest) , pure water from the bottom of the deepest cavern in Ilia, breeze from the Mount Nereid and fire from the volcano of the Princess of the Night, the four elements which when they combine will bind up the Blizzard Wizard and take him back to his prison cell.