Trucilla's Wedding Cake by Corinne V Davies

Illustrated by El Ashfield

Review by The Mole

Trucilla is not a nice person and her brother and sisters are well aware of this. She bullies everyone and after the unexpected deaths of both parents in mysterious circumstances she decides she will steal her sister's boyfriend and get married. But for once will her siblings let her get away with it? And if she doesn't get away with it then will they get away with it? The whole town hopes so.

The story is told entirely in rhyme and although split into chapters the verse continues as one long tale. The story is funny throughout and the book is illustrated with many detailed and entertaining pictures in striking colours. Great fun to read to youngsters and share the pictures with, but early readers will enjoy it for themselves.

After the tale there is an epilogue which consists of a TV style interview with the siblings and the vicar involved in the story. Once again, a funny tale to be shared with a couple of voices perhaps. And finally with confessions from the author and ending with the "Forgiveness Song".

This book is also available in Audio Book format (CD or MP3 download) that is read by Pab Roberts and has additional content in the form of the vicar recording the "Forgiveness Song" - it sounds like it was great fun to make but the epilogue and confessions are not included in the audio version.

All in all it's another great piece of entertainment from this slightly zany pairing.

Publisher - Ral Publications
Genre - Children's 7+

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Ralph Is Not A Spy by Corinne V. Davies

Illustrated by El Ashfield

Maybe, but he's sure lots of fun!!
Review by The Mole

Ralph plays chess. OK, but he plays so well he plays grand masters and beats them! The International Chess Academy want to know how he does it and sets out to kidnap both Ralph and his sister. McBond makes Ralph aware of the plan and so they set out to foil their plans.

I HATE doing this but in 2011 this HAS to be my favourite 7+ book particularly for boys.

Written entirely in verse there is almost 1 laugh per verse and with about 4 verses per page we are talking a serious measure of laughs in this book.  But hang on there, hold hard, the laughs are not restricted to the verses! The pictures don't just complement the telling of the story, they add to it with things not said in the words appearing in the pictures and making yet more laughs! The pictures themselves will appeal to the reader but are well detailed with plenty of humour and each one is an important asset to the book.

While a child will almost certainly enjoy reading and joining in, the younger spy would really enjoy having it read to them until the activities come along when they are sure to want to do them for themselves. And be honest, poetry should be read aloud to get the most from it, and I challenge adults to read it without joining in the laughter!

Add to that the number of activities for the young reader to get involved in through the book - cracking codes, designing spy gadgets, choosing aliases etc - and then the activities at the end of the book this book will provide hours of fun for the young spy during holidays.

This really has to be my favourite 7+ book for 2011!

Publisher - Ral Publications

Genre - Children's 7+

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