HANDA’S HEN
Author: Eileen Browne
Best for: Ages three and above
The parent says
This is a book filled with as much sunshine as Dubai. Handa and her friend Akeyo set off from their village home in Kenya to find grandma’s black hen Mohdi. On their way they find two fluttery butterflies, three stripey mice, four little lizards, five beautiful sunbirds, and many more intriguing creatures. Finally, under a bush, they hear cheeping! Join them to find out what a wonderful surprise Mohdi has in store for them!
The four-year-old says
This book makes me feel really happy when mummy reads it to me before I go to sleep and that means I have nice, happy dreams. The little girls loses her hen friend, which is a bit sad – I would be sad if I lost my best friend Coco* (*Coco is the family dog). But they go to find her and when they go they meet lots of other little animals. I love animals, I want to be a vet when I grow up, then I would look after all the animals in this book. They find the hen in the end, see, it’s a happy ending.
DAISY AND THE TROUBLE WITH CHOCOLATE
Author: Kes Gray
Best for: Ages six and above
What the parent says
This is another laugh-out-loud tale from the best-selling Daisy series. Here we find Daisy looking after the class hamsters, Pickle and Pop, during the Easter Holidays. She is also being treated by her mum to a trip to Chocolate Land. Will the two things mix? Laugh on to find out…
What the six-year-old says
I had read the book about Daisy not wanting to eat her peas and liked it because my mummy doesn’t like peas either. This one is just as funny with the same little girl, but this time she has to look after two little hamsters that are the class pets. Then her mummy wants to take her to Chocolate Land, somewhere I’d really want to go to. It’s a really funny book and me and mummy have read it lots of times at bedtime. It’s my new favourite.
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Author: Roald Dahl
Best for: Ages nine and above
What the parent says
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was first published in 1964 and is still as relevant and enjoyable to children today. Five children win tickets to tour Willy Wonka’s mysterious candy-making operation. Some of these children display bad-behaviour and in true Dahl style their punishments perfectly fit their crimes. The main character, Charlie Bucket, is from a loving family although he lives a life of poverty. The author does not hide the fact that the world can be a grim and unfair place however, Charlie in the end, finds just the right place!
What the 11-year-old says
Roald Dahl is a brilliant author, all of his books are amazing. What I love about this one is that it’s really funny. The characters are crazy. I like Augustus Gloop who falls into the chocolate river and gets sucked up into a tube. That’s what happens when you’re greedy! My sister is a bit like Veruca Salt who always demands things that she wants her daddy to buy her. She will be mad at me when she reads this, but it’s true. I really like the illustrations by Quentin Blake, he’s one of my favourites.
