Friday
21Aug2009

101 Cool Science Experiments with Glen Singleton

DateFriday, August 21, 2009 at 5:51PM

ISBN:174121744X

Published: 2004

We move away from fiction and enter the wonderful world of science for this post. This exciting book is full of experiments to try at home. The experiments use basic household items to demonstrate scientific principles. You can find out how dinosaurs digested their food, create a tsunami and prove that something can be on the inside and outside at the same time. Some of the experiments require heat from a hob, and so some supervision may be required just to make sure the kitchen isn't burned down, some are also likely to make a bit of a mess, which is perhaps why they are such fun! I had a wonderful science teacher who once said "Science is full of big bangs, and horrible smells, you are going to love it!". There is nothing like discovering science by seeing it in action, and this book is a great way to see the basic principles at work!

Buy this book from Fennell Books on Amazon

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Thursday
13Aug2009

Holes By Louis Sachar

DateThursday, August 13, 2009 at 5:59PM

IBSN:074754459X

Published: 2000

Stanley is sent to Camp Greenlake as punishment for a crime he didn't commit. The boys at the camp are all being punished for one misdemeanor or another. As penance they are made to dig holes in the baking desert day after day by a truly evil camp warden. The boys dream of escaping, but in the middle of the desert, there is no water for hundreds of miles, and  no hope of survival. Then, one day Stanley's friend Zero runs off into the desert, and Stanley goes after him. On his journey he discovers why the boys are made to dig the endless holes and how family's past is entwined with the history of the area where the camp is located and with his friend Zero.

This book has a simple writing style just right for the age group it is aimed at. The story however evokes strong emotions. I could almost feel the sun beating down on me whilst I was reading the descriptions of the harsh landscape. The resolution of the story is wonderful, and restores the readers faith in fair play.

This fantastic children's book will delight anyone who reads it.

Buy Holes from Fennell Books on Amazon

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Sunday
26Jul2009

The Book Of Chameleons By Jose Eduardo Agualusa

DateSunday, July 26, 2009 at 11:08AM

ISBN: 1905147651

Published: 2009

I have been trying to liken this book to something else I have read, but have failed. The book is narrated by a gecko living on the living room ceiling of an albino man, Felix, in Angola. Through the lizards witty observations we watch as Felix meets two photographers, each impacting his life in different ways. 

The plot is not strong nor is it edgy, but it addresses some very serious ideas, in particular the a person's identity. The prose is beautiful, and cleverly nothing is really ever referred to directly, but just hinted at. I was gently moved along by the writing and was feeling quite relaxed when the final chapters hit me. The ending was polar opposite of the rest of the book, action packed, and fast paced, but left me with a feeling of optimism for the characters.

Buy a signed copy from Fennell Books.

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Friday
24Jul2009

A Vintage Affair By Isabel Wolff

DateFriday, July 24, 2009 at 4:39PM

ISBN: 978 0 00 724582 6

Published: 2009

This is not normally my kind of book, but I was feeling rather out of sorts when I saw this and it had a pretty cover, and I lost my senses and bought it. I was very surprised when I started to read. In some ways it's traditional chick lit fare. Phoebe Swift has opened her own vintage dress shop and we follow her as she forges relationships with customers, her new shop assistant and an old lady, Therese, who is selling the clothes from her youth. It's all gentle stuff, but as the story progresses and we learn more about Therese and her experiences in the war the plot becomes more substantial than many stories in this genre.

Phoebe also has tragedy in her past, which is eating away at her, and we get glimpses of what has happened at intervals throughout the book allowing us to piece together her terrible loss. As the parallel story lines of Therese, Phoebe and her friends unfold we learn how the actions of a single person can have a huge effect on another, be that positive or negative. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I will certainly be reading more of Isabel Wolff's work.

Buy this book from Fennell Books on Amazon

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Friday
17Jul2009

Notes On A Scandal By Zoe Heller

DateFriday, July 17, 2009 at 3:27PM

ISBN: 0141012250

Published: 2004

I had heard that this was a fantastic book, and it was, but not for the reasons I thought it would be. It is about a school teacher, Sheba, who starts work at a new school, and is befriended by an older single female teacher, Barbara. Despite knowing it is wrong, Sheba starts a relationship with a 15 year old boy in her class. The affair, in some ways is a minor plot. In the main the book focuses on Barbara and how she reacts when she discovers the affair. Barbara is deeply lonely and has little to fill her spare time. She starts to focus all her thoughts and energy on Sheba, and these thoughts develop into obsession, dressed up as friendship. The most terrifying part of how the character is written is the way in which she justifies her actions as doing the right thing for her friend. Barbara wants to protect and support Sheba, but knowingly or otherwise, she slowly breaks Sheba down until she is unable to function for herself.

This is a delicately written novel which, with the lightest of touches, examines a deeply disturbed character.

Buy this book from Amazon.

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