Clementine Rose And The Movie Magic
By Jacqueline Harvey
Review by Billie Aitken-McGregor Year 4
‘Lights… Camera… Action!!’ Clementine Rose and the Movie Magic, in the series written by Jacqueline Harvey, is an exciting combination of movie-magic and mystery.
Clementine is the main character in the series. She lives in a stately home with many rooms which is used as a hotel – called Penberthy House. Basil Hobbs, Clementine’s neighbour, is a documentary filmmaker and wants to make a documentary on Penberthy House with Clementine in a starring role.
One day in the middle of filming, two important guests arrive. A health and safety inspector called Alfie Doncaster and a wealthy-looking woman called Finley Spencer. Penberthy House usually runs like clockwork, but strange things begin to happen; rooms are found messy, there is lipstick on the wine glasses, hair in the drains and cakes are found dropped on the ground.
All of these events make Alfie consider giving Penberthy House a poor health and safety report, which could force its closure. That is until Clementine captures some interesting footage on her camera when she accidentally leaves it running overnight!
This book will appeal to young readers because it is full of mysteries that need to be solved. Jacqueline Harvey gives her readers just enough clues to keep them guessing. You can only discover what happens next by turning the page.
As the story unfolds, you can often feel that you are actually in the story! Will you figure out the mystery of who is meddling with Penberthy House before Clementine does? Read it and see.
I Am Juliet
By Jackie French
Review by Hera Stanton-Gillan Year 6
This novel by Jackie French is about a girl whose life is owned and dominated by her parents. Can you imagine being just 13 years old and having your mum and dad tell you that you’re getting married? Worse still, that they are going to choose whom you marry!
This is the story of Juliet Capulet. You may think you know the story of the two famous lovers, Romeo and Juliet; well this story shows us what Juliet really thought. The book is written as Rob, one of Shakespeare’s actors, takes the stage as Juliet.
She lives behind her garden wall yet rarely sees her mother and father. She is dressed and bathed by her servants and her nurse. The only things that belong to her are her dreams.
One day everything changes. Juliet, who is being forced to marry the Earl of Paris, the Prince’s cousin, finds true love in the Montague family, enemies of the Capulets. Juliet turns against her parents so she can be with her husband (whom she has secretly already married). He is then banished from Verona, the town they live in.
The story traces Juliet’s journey as she follows her heart and betrays her mother and father. Watch her transform from a young girl who submits to family expectations to a daring young woman who will do anything for true love.
I loved reading I am Juliet as it gave me a familiar story through fresh eyes. I couldn’t put it down!
Just Tricking
By Andy Griffiths
Review by Isis Crawford Year 6
Do you ever pretend that you are dead to get out of going to school or do you wish that every day was April Fools Day? In the book, Just Tricking, Andy Griffiths captured my interest from the moment I read the blurb! This hilarious book is full of practical-joke-filled tales that will surely leave you feeling inspired to plot lots and lots of practical jokes.
In this crazy book, Andy Griffiths writes ten practical-joke-filled stories. Although I did find some of the stories to be slightly predictable, I believe Andy has truly written a book that practically anyone twelve or under would get a good laugh out of.
One of the things that I loved about this book was that I could really see myself there in those challenging and awkward situations trying to explain what had happened and that made the book much more interesting. For me it was fun and exciting to read and I definitely would recommend it to younger children who are up for a laugh.
Overall, I thought that Just Tricking was an exceptional book that was filled with insane and hilarious stories that I became a part of with every new character. I have to say, every story was different yet still fantastically funny. I rate this book 2/5. No, just tricking, 4/5.
• All writers will feature at Kids Big Day Out on Sunday August 9. Tickets available from the Byron Bay Writers Festival website www.byronbaywritersfestival.com.
