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Jasper John Dooley:Public Library Enemy 1.

2/24/2016

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Jasper John Dooley:Public Library Enemy - 1
(Ages 6 to 8)
By : Caroline Adderson
Publisher : Kids Can Press ( Apr., 2016)


The sixth book in the hilarious chapter book series "Jasper John Dooley" which won many awards.Although it`s the sixth in it`s series the story stands alone. This is a book for the emerging reader. It provides a fast paced interesting story line discussing many subjects that assures to keep kids stay glued to the book till the end. 

Starting from the most exciting news about a reading event for "Molly the library dog" the story moves ahead with many equally exciting episodes.As Jasper`s borrowed book from the library gets soaked in the bath water and then baked and accidentally burned by his father.  Which leads to another series of events as Jasper having read the cost of the book wrong ( as 2500 for 25.00) struggles to pay his library fine with the help of his fried Ori. Jasper and Ori`s innovative ideas from trying an all toast restaurant are very much "a kid`s world" and would easily bring them close to the book.The story will become more interesting towards the end as the boys organize a "Read to Your Pet Fiesta Party Hoopla Celebration" to recover the real cost of the book. 

Jasper`s sadness of having to "kill" his library book sends it`s readers a message about being cautious and responsible. It exposes children to money matters and related math problems.Jasper learns from Ori that a dot in the middle separates dollars from cents. "See the two and the five?See the zeros?See what`s in between them?"..."Burned stuff and a tiny dot"..."The thing is Jasper?That tiny dot just saved your life"  And few more lessons will follow about money as the story progresses. His knowledge in adding up money improves with his one day all toast restaurant work and later on.  The book maybe helpful in bringing out an interest to read for reluctant readers as well. ( naturally they`ll want to try to read to a pet!) Above all these issues are addressed smoothly and without letting them be burdened by the knowledge that they are being taught.

Children will doubtlessly enjoy this story. They`ll be entertained by Jasper and Ori`s pet reading sessions, horrified by the burning book, excited by their toast restaurant and the "Read to Your Pet Fiesta Party Hoopla Celebration". They will learn about a new method to dry a damp book!. T
he fact that Jasper was actually able to earn something seems to be a self-dignifying fact that makes him feel proud in the end. The text is engaging and simple. As the readers will get to know that some could be " bird people" or "cat people" just as there are "Raspberry Jam persons" and "Marmalade people". Though the story introduces some new words, it`s written in relatively short sentences with the help of phrases and very simple language. Each chapter is supported by a helpful single page pencil-sketched illustration.   
An excellent book packed with knowledge,ideas and lots of fun!!

 All of these stories in the Jasper John Dooley series are engaging and written in simple language which makes them ideal as early reading chapter books.
 
With many thanks to Kids Can Press and Net Galley for the digital copy in return for a honest review .  



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Ignis.

2/15/2016

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Ignis ( Ages 4+ )
​By : Gina Wilson & P.J.Lynch
Publisher : Walker Books (Oct.,2001)


The amazing art work of this story would doubtlessly leave anyone in awe.Every page of this book is unique and a masterpiece. 
Any little reader will be intrigued by these illustrations and will want to hear the story,though it`s a bit on the long side, content as they could be they may listen in awe. as it happened in my household. 
The opening spreads reveal a joyous moment of young Ignis`s days,where a group of young dragons, brilliantly coloured with Emerald, Blue and Ruby scales with Ignis in the middle, jumping up into the air with the ball in his hands, are playing outside the mouth of a deep fire lit cave in a pre-historic like setting. With magnificent boulders and dark giant trees lining the edges of an open ground with some deep holes filled with crystal waters and a bare greenish area where many dragons are seen roaming and some in the far away skies. One could see water flowing down from a waterfall and seeping into the holes in the ground.

It`s "Dragonland" where fiery red scaled,flaring nose-trilled handsome Ignis lived with his Gran-dragon and sister Flamma.  Although he`s the most handsome and admired for his flying and running skills Ignis was mostly sad for he lacked the best ; Ignis cannot breath fire like any other dragon. He couldn't light stars or play "Fling a Flame" and "All Blaze Together" like others in the night, he could only watch.But his dear friend, the amber eyed girly Scintilla always tried to comfort him on such instances just like his Gran-dragon who used to say "All in good time,Never worry" only that it didn't help him.He was greatly distressed and he said "I don`t feel like a dragon at all. Maybe I`m really something else."  And off he goes in search of his dragon fire. Along his way he met a Hippo a Loquax and a little girl called Cara.After spending some time with each one of them he bid them goodbye as he`s on a quest for fire, with Cara`s encouraging words in his fiery heart he left for the mountains. The story end with pure pleasures of self discovery as Ignis whooshes out towering flames while his elders were talking "Mysteries and Miracles and Flames that Light up the World".  


Gina Wilson`s writings are no less magnificent than Lynch`s illustrations, Skillfully written with simple phrases and sublime literary descriptions the story flows." When all was soundless and still,save the faintest shushing of breezes and twittering of jewel-birds,the Slothy-Sillent once came dangling down from the branches in dappled lengths and stretches." Here`s a storyline unique and gripping  with an equally compelling subject as dragons are an ever fascinating subject for children.  The book will take you to a magical mysterious world and with the author`s lyrical text and Lynch`s wonderful images one would feel like watching a movie. A collectable. 

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