Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Author: L.M. Montgomery
Original title: Anne of Green Gables
Pages: 512
Edition Language: Russian
Series: yes
Format: e-book
Genres: Classics
Goodreads

Blurb:    
    As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she's not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she'll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.
My thoughts:
     I read it so long ago, but I can say for sure that I love it. It is such a light, kind novel with one of the most idealistic characters that I came across in literature. Anne is a picture of an ideal child: hardworking, happy, forgiving and caring. The child that encountered difficulties and unfair discrimination at the early age still was able to save the innocence of character and positive and loving point of view. She did not become hardened in heart, and still was looking for the best even in small things.
     I actually felt nostalgia about feeling and thinking like Anne.When your thoughts are still not clouded by material desires and you contemplate the world, without searching your place and purpose, but just as a pure wonder of nature and creation.
    Reading this book made me slow down a bit and look around and see a nice tree, a small bird, a huge boulder, whose stories we do not know, but it does not that they are not there, we just did not care to stop and find out.
      I might talk about the plot and the character development, but I'd better write about the light and easy feeling I had after reading this book and happy smile that I have on my face when I remember about Anne Shirley's story and her adventures.

Rating:  

    4/5 

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond

Author: Michael Bond
Original title: A Bear Called Paddington
Pages:188
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Paddington Bear #1
Format: Hardcover
Genres:Childrens
Goodreads

Blurb:     
Mr. and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington, a most endearing bear from Darkest Peru on a railway platform in London. A sign hanging around his neck said, "Please look after this bear. Thank you" So that is just what they did.

From the very first night when he attempted his first bath and ended up nearly flooding the house, Paddington was seldom far from imminent disaster. Jonathan and Judy were delighted with this havoc and even Mr. and Mrs. Brown had to admit that life seemed to be more filled with adventure when there was a bear in the house.

My thoughts: 
      Of course I have heard about the movie, but I was not aware of the book series. When I saw it, I thought why not; if they made a movie out of it; it should have some merit. How I loved it! I am just in love with Paddington. Of course I would never want him in my house and I do not envy Brown Family, but I find this bear absolutely a charmer. He perceives the world as a normal creature not touched by big city flame: straightforward and literally. That puts him in so many comical situations that you cannot hold a smile. At the same time he is kind and sensitive to other people's feelings. Truly open and inspiring character.

Rating:  

    4/5 

Eight Children and a Truck by Anne-Cath. Vestly

Author: Anne-Cath. Vestly
Original title: Åtte små, to store og en lastebil
Pages: 175
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Eight Children #1
Format: Hardcover
Genres: Childrens
Goodreads

Blurb:     
    Eight Children and a Truck concerns a family with eight children living in a small apartment in Oslo and their adventures.

My thoughts: 
      It was a lovely children's book, worthy of Lindgren. It was so fun, warm and moving. The whole book is full of kindness and sincerity. The huge family with limited financial resources find joy and pleasure and magic in the small, everyday things like a pirate party, painting the floor, going into the forest or riding in a tram. Even unpleasant and disagreeable people are not so bad when it comes to life tests. In this book such values as kindness, sincerity, family ties and even forgiveness are shown in such a simple and accessible way, what I have no doubt that a child will get it. And grown-ups will be left with a warm cozy feeling of something light and heartwarming coming in their life.

Rating:  

    4/5 

Midnight Pirates by Ally Kennen

Author: Ally Kennen
Original title:  Midnight Pirates   
Pages: 227
Edition Language: English
Series: no 
Format:  Paperback
Genres: Children, YA, Fiction 
Goodreads

Blurb:
     Midnight pirates is about a young girl Miranda and her two brothers, Jackie aged 10 and Cal aged 17. This story is set by the beach in a hotel named the Dodo. But disaster strikes as the three of them are sent to boarding school while their parents are going to a wedding and they will never see the bankrupt Dodo hotel ever again. Only it doesn't go quite as planned.
      After her younger brother Jackie escapes back to the Dodo hotel Cal and Miranda have no other option but to go after him and miss the train to the school. Shortly after arriving at the hotel they receive guests, but little do they know the guests true identity. Can they save the Dodo? And what are the guest's true colours? 

My thought:
     I was not expecting much from this book as it's not my usual cup of tea. But the book is good: it has a solid plot, suspense, and mystery. Every character has its own voice and opinion. However good it is I still had major issues reading it. From the point of view of a young reader the book is full of rebellion, challenges, adventure and freedom. From an adult point of view I can see only disobedience, disrespect towards adults, danger and irresponsibleness.
      I really disliked the children from the book because of their lies to the parents and their irresponsible behavior. One situation just killed me: when they got new guests, they could not actually provide any basic comfort to the guests (and we must take into consideration that all children were involved into the hotel business from early childhood); the maximum effort was to provide semi-clean linen; the rest is the description of how they enjoyed their freedom and idleness. Really? That’s the idea of 17 year old and 15 year old about hotel management. Then I guess parents made some major mistakes in their upbringing. That all really gets in the way and spoiled the impression, and I tried to like the characters, really... but just could not.
      From the adventure point of view I have no problems (keeping in might again that this is the book for 11-13 year old). Real pirates, danger to kill the environment of the bay, loneliness, fear and courage: everything was in the order and from this perspective I liked the book.
      Altogether, I think it is an easy, exciting read for teenagers, but the characters’ behavior does not set a good example.

Rating: 

    2/5 

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Author:  Cornelia Funke 
Original title: Tintenherz
Pages: 543
Edition Language: English
Series: Inkworld #1
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Fiction
Goodreads 

Blurb:

     12 year-old Meggie lives with her father, Mortimer, a bookbinder. Mo never reads stories aloud to Meggi. He also never talks about her mother or tells her different stories that Meggi does not believe in her existence anymore.

When Meggi is 12, Capricorn, an unknown villain is on a hunt to find Mortimer and get hold of a secret book her father possesses. They have to leave their home behind and while they are on the run, Meggi discovers her father's secret and, along with the help of Dustfinger (a very strange and unusual person) and Meggi's eccentric aunt Elinor, fights to free her father and destroy Capricorn.

My thoughts: 

 I took the synopsis from Goodreads, but have to cut it greatly. Really? You want to tell everything in the blurb?  The biggest suspense of this book was actually to find out what was the secret Maggi's father had.

     I have big expectations for a book, it was also easy read, but I believe, this book should be read by me at least 20 years earlier and I would not classify this book "for every age".

     I cannot say I did not like it or place my finger exactly on what irritated me, but it just left me untouched. The plot of Inkheart does not slow down; I love that, through the characters are a little irritating and lack development. Sometimes their decisions are on the edge of stupidity and I do not mean a child, but grown-ups. I didn't feel like I really knew the characters and connected to them.

     Taking into consideration that this is a children’s book (I do not think it is YA) it is quite good. The plot development is consistent, the villains are scary, but not bloody, there is no open violence in the book just references, which makes it accessible for younger children. But overall, it was a little too long and sometimes you'd think you're just going in circles. I expected more magic as well; but it is more realistic than magical book.

      What I really loved about the story that it heavily promotes the value of reading. Reading about books and how people value and worship them is very inspiring and captivating. Reading opens horizons and this is the right message for young reader.

Rating: 

    3/5 

Fortunately, the Milk... by Neil Gaiman

Author: Neil Gaiman
Original title: Fortunately, the Milk...
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Pages: 160
Edition Language: Czech
Series: none
Genres: Children, Humor, Fantasy, Sci-fi
Goodreads
 
     Surprisingly I wanted to do a review on this book...
     This is a funny short book for children age under 10. I bought it for my nephew as a Christmas present and you know how it is with children books nowadays; you need to check the content by yourself; as I have already seen so many books with a lot of violence and sometimes really crappy plot that it can be not only disturbing for a child but dangerous. So I sat down to check the book and it was just magic. I was having a silly smile on my face the entire time I was reading it. I just loved the way it was written with all the plot twists and interconnection. It was brilliantly constructed, logical and funny. The illustrations by Riddell are so vivid and witty.
      The mother of one family leaves for a couple of days and now dad's duty is to take care of the kids. But the most terrible thing happens the next morning: it's time for breakfast but there is no milk for the cereals!!! Dad went out to buy some and it took him a little bit longer then needed. When his kids ask him why he was late, he tells them the most incredible story full of pirates, vampires, dinosaurs, UFO and, of course, piranhas.

"If the same object from two different times touches itself, one of two things will happen: either the Universe will cease to exist, or three remarkable dwarfs will dance through the streets with flowerpots on their heads."  

      What a silly funny little sci-fi adventure for children this book is. Waiting for a review from my nephew))

Rating: 

    3/5