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Hi!
I was in a bookshop the other day with three friends of mine (aged 6ish, 9ish and somewhere about 13), and we ended up eating two muffins (one chocolate chip and one blueberry), three flapjacks (two nut and one caramel), and knocking back three cups of tea, a hot chocolate, and two banana smoothies and NOT buying anything ...
not even for the three year old we'd left at home.
Why?
We were standing in front of the shelves for more than three hours - and we still couldn't find a single book that
1) they hadn't already read, 2) they liked the look of, 3) was approved of by the others, 4) promised a fantastically good read, 5) wasn't going to be sneered at by friends at school .... and so on. And on. And on ....
And we were just about to make up our minds when J said he felt sick so we had to leave in a hurry with no books at all.
Result?
TEARS.
MUCH GROANING.
EVEN MORE MOANING.
All in all - total failure.
So I promised I'd go back to the shop later, and send them an EXCITING PARCEL of wonderful books ... and I dropped them at their respective homes ... and then staggered back to the bookshop.

And another two hours later I decided I not only felt sick myself but I needed SERIOUS help, so I rang up Simon and Helen (who both read MASSES of books for children) and said WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST?
And they came up with loads of brilliant ideas ... and we chatted ... and I began to remember some excellent books that I'd read recently but had forgotten all about due to Extreme Stress, and also some I hadn't liked at all, and we argued and agreed and talked some more, and then - BOOM!!!!
I had an idea!
I thought, why don't Helen and Simon and I all get together, and write down our ideas for good reads - and we can ask Eddie (who is a very very VERY good egg) if we can put our thoughts on the Jubilee website .... and he said Yes.
So here you are.
And here we are.
And sometimes it'll be mostly me, and sometimes it'll be mostly Simon, and sometimes it'll be mostly Helen - or it may be a mix-up of all of us. Wait and see. And I hope you'll let us know what YOU like too ... and most of all I hope you find some ideas for books that you'll really really enjoy reading.
Love
Vivxx

PS. Simon says I've used way too many 'ands' in this letter - and he's right. I always do. Anyone else out there with the same problem?
PPS. I'm really sorry, but Helen hasn't joined us for these reviews - and it's entirely my fault. I e-mailed her with the info and dates etc at the wrong address ... but she says to say Hello, and you'll be hearing from her next time!
Sorry, Helen ...

These are the books that I chose as presents ... and I haven't heard back yet if they liked them or not. I'll let you know.

For the two youngest.
Spaghetti for Suzy by Peta Coplans
As you can guess from the title, Suzy just LOVES spaghetti ... in fact, she won't eat anything else. AHA! I hear you say, yet another book trying to make us eat our fruit and veg! Well - yes, but this is different - Cat, Dog and Pig have such delightfully daft ideas that I laughed out loud and spilt my tea all over the table. Also Suzy ends up STILL being allowed to eat spaghetti, so that's OK by me. It's a FUN book!
Gripes: None. It's just great!
Simon says: But I like ALL kinds of Pasta! How about Penne for Penelope?

Up in Heaven by Emma Chichester Clark
I really loved this story of a dog called Daisy who dies and goes to heaven. She's very happy there, but she worries terribly about her owner, Arthur, who is very very sad ... so Daisy decides she has to do something to help him. The pictures are beautiful, and you can see exactly how upset Arthur is ... and the speech bubbles are just right for children who want to join in with the reading. It might seem strange that a story about a pet dying could have a happy ending, but this one does ... it's a story that goes straight to the heart.
Gripes: All the adults and children in this story - at home, in the park, everywhere - are white. Where's this story set? Not anywhere near where I live ....

For the next age up.
Spider McDrew by Alan Durant, illustrated by Philip Hopman
This is actually a collection of THREE stories, and it first came out in 1996 - but HOORAY! Here it is again, and it's just as good as it was first time round. (Only now with a snappy new cover.) Spider's Mum - and his teachers - are always telling him that he's a hopeless case because he dreams and doesn't concentrate and gets things wrong ... but he still manages to surprise everybody, whether it's at football or being in the school play (my favourite story) or collecting money for the school garden. I'm willing to bet that you'll recognise the children at Spider's school - 'Then Kip let out a blood curdling howl and pretended to sink his teeth into Hannah Stewart, who screamed ' - and the teachers too.
Gripes: Why aren't there more Spider McDrew stories? He's genuinely funny - and I'd love to read more about him.
Simon: I was a bit of a hopeless case at school too - but sadly, nowhere near as excellent a Spider. He would probably have been my school hero!

For the oldest - nine upwards - and adults too.
Flying with Icarus written by Curdella Forbes
The big wave curled the sea like a mower. When it got near the beach it heaved mightily, like a giant taking a deep breath. It stood up on its height like feet and vomited water like a living mouth, all over the beach, roaring with triumph and pleasure.
This is Curdella Forbes' first book for children, and she is the most exciting new author that I've come across for years - and I truly mean that. Hers is a completely different voice from any that you've ever read before; she swoops from the lyrical to the most streetwise of language with a wonderful ease and confidence. The seven stories are set in the Caribbean (Curdella grew up in a small village in Jamaica), but the themes - bullying, loneliness, misunderstanding, joy, grief - are universal. There is a wonderful celebration of language, a profound understanding of the extraordinary (and often bizarre) strengths and weaknesses of human beings, and a real passion in the writing that leaves your head spinning with images and ideas and emotions that will stay with you for a long long time. This is a book to celebrate.
Gripes: Why hasn't every member of the government been sent a copy of Flying with Icarus? They might learn about truth, love and compassion ....

vivian.french@jubileebooks.co.uk

BOOKS REVIEWED

Spaghetti for Suzy
by Peta Coplans
Up in Heaven
by Emma Chichester Clark
Spider McDrew
by Alan Durant
Flying with Icarus
by Curdella Forbes

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Saviour Pirotta
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Fiction | November 02

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