Stuart The Bug Eating Man by Calvin Innes

Review by The Mole

Stuart is a man who only eats bugs. His family find it revolting and he also spends his days hunting for bugs to eat and so his wife has to go out and earn the family's entire income. One way or another his whole family is affected in a bad way by his obsession. Until... one day...

The story is told as one poem and although 88 pages in length it is laid out with 4 lines to a page and so is very easy reading in simple rhyme. Each page has fun, clear, black and white illustrations which will make it fun to read for the early reader (7+). It also carries an important message that even some weird hobbies and pastimes can be put to good use.

Publisher - My Little Big Town
Genre - Children's early reader (7+), Picture book, Poetry

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Gorgeous George and the Zigzag Zit-faced Zombies by Stuart Reid

Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear
Review by The Mole

***GENUINE TASTE ALERT***
This review carries material that I feel is in very bad taste but necessary to explain my review. I have attempted to keep all of that in red. Apologies!

At a local pond there is an accident where chemicals accidentally get added without anyone knowing. George and a couple of friends are then asked by their teacher to give a presentation on sustainability and the environment to a younger class - a class that had visited the pond only the previous day. The class all seem to have come down with a cold on the same day and the teachers don't seem to be bothered but George, Allison and Kenny are curious. They go to investigate the unusual behaviour of the class and are attacked by some of the children - to pick their noses for any discharge. The children of the class had all been picking their noses and eating it to the point where some of their noses bleed. Allison then checks under their desks and finds the children have been licking the undersides to eat the discharge that children have previously wiped there and then...

Well, then I stopped reading - I genuinely felt sick from it! Maryom tried in case I was being overly sensitive  but gave up before she got anything like as far as me! But let's be fair the cover does illustrate nasal discharge and the synopsis on the back does sort of explain a bit of what you might find and kids CAN find 'snot' amusing but this takes it too far. FAR too far and far too graphically.

There is a lot in here about teachers and kids books often have caricaturised teachers as figures of fun but here it felt like the author was having a 'go' at the teaching profession. OK, but in front of children we need to support their education and not undermine teaching or learning will suffer... this did not feel good at all! Wrong device in the wrong place.

There. I've had my say. One book I would certainly never recommend and one that if I found a child of mine reading I would find a way to lose it - QUICK!!

Having said that, I am not a nine year old but I know that the 9 year olds that I have known would not have read this. However this is MY opinion and if you have a child who reads and enjoys this then please let us know and at what age they read it.

Publisher - My Little Big Town
Genre - Children's Fiction, 9+

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Anisha’s Adventures In Bangladesh by Moinul Islam

Review by The Mole

Anisha is a normal young girl living in Bangladesh and like all normal young girls she has a birthday. Her presents, like all birthday presents, are rather special. A new outfit, a puppy and two magic necklaces. These magic necklaces enable Anisha to see and learn all about the world.

An extremely attractive picture book with well laid out pages and a plethora of pretty pictures that really set the book off. The story starts by explaining that life in Bangladesh is very similar to life most anywhere in the western world, with the same daily routines and friendships. But come her birthday party we meet the two magical necklaces. With these necklaces we travel around Bangladesh and learn some facts, in a fun way, about the country and it's history.

A lovely fun book that complements learning and will help children of all ages and nationalities to learn a little about a remote country that they may never visit.

Publisher - My Little Big Town
Genre - Children's early reader, Picture book, Educational

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