Category Archives: Reviews
The Glass of Lead & Gold by Cornelia Funke – Book Review
Synopsis
In a land of elves, mermaids and trolls, true magic is where you least expect it…
In the snow-covered city of Londra, young Tabetha survives by finding treasures in the mudbanks of the river Themse. On Christmas Eve, a sinister stranger asks her to keep her eyes open for a priceless, long-lost magical object: the Glass of Lead and Gold.
As word of the Glass spreads across the city, Tabetha finds herself with some unlikely companions, not least a one-armed girl and a rather impressive soup chef. But will Tabetha discover that there are even greater fortunes to be found than the magical Glass?
Author
Cornelia Funke is the highly acclaimed, award-winning and bestselling author of the Inkheart trilogy, Dragon Rider, The Thief Lord and the Reckless series which is also published by Pushkin Press. Born in 1958 in the German town of Dorsten, she worked as a social worker for a few years before turning first to illustration and then to writing. Her books have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, and have been translated into 37 languages.
What I Thought
I’m not familiar with the Mirrorworld where this story is set (shakes head at neverending TBR) but that wasn’t an issue, anything that needed explaining was, and in a way that worked within the story. In fact this short tale has definitely made me want to pick up more of Funke’s work, now I just have to decide between Reckless and Inkheart.
Firstly let me just share my admiration for the presentation of this book. It is a small hardback with gold foiling that glistens and adds a magic to the glass on the front. The RRP is £9.99 for a 91 page story which includes intricate black and white illustrations by the author. This is a book that deserves to be shelved face out and one that will be bought out for bedtime reads, especially around Christmas when the tale is set.
Tabetha is an orphan who takes care of herself by mudlarking – collecting items in the banks of the river and selling them for money to live on. This is already a risky way of life so when she is tasked with finding a magical object she is thrown into more danger – both physically and ethically.
This story definitely had a fairy tale feel and reminded me of The Little Match Girl although, depending on which version of that you read, not as sad.
I enjoyed the disability representation and the variety of creatures encountered including the creepy looking Thumblings – think evil borrowers.
As all fairy tales are, this is a book exploring morals and human dilemmas – Tabetha has to decide between riches. Will she be lured by the promise of magic? The story is beautifully written and is one you will want to read over.
Thanks to Vicki and Pushkin for the copy to read for the purposes of this
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Monstacademy: The Halloween Parade by Matt Beighton – Blog Tour Book Review
Synopsis
It’s not every day that a vampire borrows your pencil. When was the last time you sat next to a werewolf in maths?
Meet Trixie Grimble, the newest pupil at Monstacademy. Unfortunately, in a school filled with monsters, she’s the only ordinary girl and when she’s asked to help prepare for the annual Halloween parade, everything starts to go wrong.
Oh, and she’s also been kicked out of her bedroom to make room for a cat circus.
Fans of Jill Murphy and Isla Fisher will adore the silly humour and loveable characters in this delightful modern classic.
About the Author
Matt Beighton was born somewhere in the midlands in England during the heady days of the 1980s and continues to spend most of his days in the same shire. He is happily married with two young daughters who keep him very busy and suffer through the endless early drafts of his stories.
When he’s not writing, he teaches primary school (Kindergarten to some of you), messes around on canals in his inflatable kayak and supports his beloved Leicester City.
Website: http://mattbeighton.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mattbeightonauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mattbeighton
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs9DBOkwtDpnTFBYZXUhUUw
What I Thought
This was lots of fun and perfectly captures the emotions of starting a new school. It’s ideal for kids to read at this time of year and especially if they are joining a new class where everyone already knows each other.
Trixie not only starts a new school but she is very much the odd one out and having to board there too. Not everyone welcomes ‘her sort’ at the school. Humans at a school for monsters, how very unusual!!!
Having just re-read all of The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy, I can confirm the comparisons to them are well founded and luckily, like Mildred, Trixie eventually finds herself a couple of good friends to help her settle in … and save the day. There’s a nefarious plot that needs foiling and, can you believe that Monsters don’t like trick or treating?
There are some funny names included, especially for the teachers (Flopsbottom 😂) which will give readers something to giggle about. The illustrations by Amalia Rendon were great and really added to the story. I loved the picture of the school caretaker Grimsby and it was good to be able to visualise all of the teachers.
There is a subplot with Trixie’s mum and some cats, and it was good to see that this wasn’t all focused on school and I liked the hints at how their relationship developed that we got in the extra Christmas themed short story. Initially I would have compared Trixie’s mum to Mrs Wormwood!
Aimed at a slightly younger reader, I think this is the perfect gateway to Harry Potter and I highly recommend it as bedtime story material.
Author Matt is a primary school teacher and he’s included some fun activities in the back of the book too (a wordsearch and spot the difference – I’m still stuck on this btw Matt and there’s no answers 😱😂). I’m such a kid because I also loved the fact the book has its own ‘This Book Belongs to’ page.
The Halloween Parade has set things up well for an ongoing series and I’m looking forward to seeing how the characters develop. It looks like there are at least two more books in the pipeline including a choose your own adventure version (I used to love these).
Today is the last stop on the tour but do make sure you go and check out what everyone else thought. Thanks to Matt and Faye for my copy of the book which I read for the purposes of an honest review.
All of the Monstacademy series are available in both standard and dyslexia adapted format. To celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Week 2018, use the code DYSAWARE to get 15% of any Monstacademy orders at the Green Monkey Press Etsy store. Offer valid from Monday 1st October to Sunday 7th October 2018 at https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GreenMonkeyPress
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Eugenius – The Musical – Review
It has been around a week and a half since I saw Eugenius at The Other Palace – huge thanks to my friend Clarissa who said I would love it and let me have her spare ticket. Spoiler – she was right and I may now be a little obsessed. I’m sad that it’s unlikely I’ll be able to see it again before the run is over but if you can get to London and get tickets before the 21st October please do. You deserve this joy in your life. This show is so much fun and definitely deserves a full West End transfer and/or a U.K. tour (include Poole Lighthouse or Bournemouth if you do the tour please).
Set in 1988 (when I was 10) this is a show for geeks (and I suspect written by geeks – Ben Adams former A1 lead singer (and yes I did own their albums) and Chris Wilkins). It’s about Superheroes and friendship and the 80s and the music is supremely catchy, and there’s a dance at the end that will see everyone getting involved. You won’t be able to resist.
If you can’t get to see the show then the soundtrack is available, including a sing along version. I may have listened to it a few times!!!
Personally I was sold, and had a grin on my face, from the opening moment where our protagonist Eugene opens up a Book Light!!
There are pop culture references galore and if you want to go in without knowing anything more don’t read my list of references spotted further below.
The cast was excellent – especially the main trio of Eugene, Janey and Feris played by Rob Houchen (who reminds me of Aaron Tveit tonally), Laura Baldwin (who smashed The Future is Bright and had a touching reunion with her vocal coach after the show) and Dan Buckley (No Pants Dance had me creasing). Their songs were flawless and my favourites in the show – my top two got reprises too.
The passion from the whole cast and crew was so apparent when Clarissa and I saw it on the opening night of the revised run (with feedback from its first run taken on board and acted on). It’s still not quite perfect but it’s pretty damn close. Personally I wasn’t too sold on the fish people and I felt the staging of the song Hollywood was a little static (Clarissa mentioned preferring the first run choreography). There were also a couple of lines that I would consider removing to make this show much more family friendly, specifically the Cabbage Patch Kid comment and pervert in the bushes line in evil. I am glad they revised Super Hot Lady’s main song – although both the original version of her song (which I heard on the soundtrack) and the casting couch reference are very much a social commentary on how female actresses and superheroes were treated in the 80s (and relevant to the Me Too movement raised in Hollywood recently).
(Side note prompted by the family friendly comment – we met the most adorable Eugenius superfan and fellow Hufflepuff, and his mum, and I got to teach him the Hufflepuff handshake). If you happen to be reading this. Hi, hope you managed to get back to see the show again.
Lessons learned from the show
• If a colleague has a wardrobe malfunction (Hector had a knob fall off) make sure to pick it up to avert any accidents. That’s what Tough Guy would do, or even Lex!
• Don’t do the worm with a backpack on.
• Nerds Like Numbers – Geeks like gadgets.
• Be Tough but be Fair (with a motto like this I think Tough man is a Hufflepuff)
• Friends will be there for you.
• Don’t shoot for the stars – aim higher!!!
If you loved We Will Rock You and Starlord in Guardians of the Galaxy then I think this has similar vibes. This show deserves all the success.
Potential Spoilers – Pop Culture references. Mostly 80s based.
Film and TV mentions
Star Trek vs Star Wars – non GEEK confusion (Gasp)
Star Wars*- Yoda chat up lines and Ewok (Wickett)
Splash and its (not explicitly named) comparison to The Shape of Water
Footloose
Flashdance – She’s amazing = She’s a maniac homage
Dirty Dancing – Like the wind line in She’s Amazing
? Grease 2 – Who’s that guy song
Peter Pan – Second Star to the Left
Gremlins
Goonies – Hey you Guys
ET
The Neverending Story – mention of Atreyu in Hollywood (and btw YOU had a mega crush on him and cried when he cried when Artex downed in the swamp)
Karate Kid – wax on wax off
Big – Zoltar
Superman
Supergirl
Batman
Wonder Woman
The Flash
Flash Gordon*
Top Gun
Terminator
Rocky – Eye of the Tiger line in song
Nightmare on Elm Street – Freddy Krueger
Robocop
Indiana Jones
Beetlejuice (and stylistically Theo’s character looked like a cross between Otto and the guy from Mannequin)
Mannequin – window dresser at Macy’s
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Ghostbusters
Back to the Future – Eugene’s Marty McFly style outfit
Transformers – Megatron
Scooby Doo – cheerleader outfits look like Velma’s Jumper/skirt combo
Knight rider
Lost in Space – Kevin the Robot
Fraggles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
He Man – Skeletor – We’ll have the power
Thundercats – Snarf
Eldorado (I loved the total cheese of this show)
Harry Potter – very subtle ref with – less of the wizard stuff line – Nb: I can make most things relate to Harry Potter somehow
Musicals/Music influences
Blood Brothers (Hector and Tough Man – brothers separated at birth)
Papa can you Hear Me – Fiddler on the Roof
Gypsy
Chicago – Lex intro reminds me of Billy Flynn
Prince – 1999
Michael Jackson dance moves
Olivia Newton John/Jane Fonda dance moves
Flock of Seagulls hair
Journey
Evita
Things
Bum bags
Cabbage patch dolls
People
OJ Simpson
Jean Claude Van Damme
George Lucas
Kevin Bacon – did he get a name check?! I think so.
Stan Lee – Sun Spot, Bim Bam Boom(?), and Mephisto (I was not familiar with any of these (& Marvel in general)
*Guest vocal appearances by:
Brian Blessed
Mark Hamil
Warwick Davis (sings Hector’s part on the soundtrack)
Finally, I wasn’t sure I spotted any John Hughes film refs but … is the Eugenius semi-arm punch choreography an end of Breakfast Club Bender punch or a Grease Summer Night’s Travolta ear slide punch??
If the writers read this I’d love to know if I’m right on any of the less explicit references and if there are any I missed.
Ps. I totally ship EuJaney!!!
kirstyes 