1 Children Books Malaysia - Reviewed Pack 4: Bug Brother

where the magic begins

Reviewed Pack 4: Bug Brother (age:6 to 10 years)

For older children who are all geared up to stretch their imagination, RP4 provides the impetus to do just that. How would you feel with a brother who is a bug or a teacher who is a wizard? There's also an eerie house to spook you and a distressed Mr. Fox trying to outwit three mean farmers.


	No.	Titles
	1	Bug Brother
	2	Mr. Majeika
	3	It's Too Frightening For Me
	4	Fantastic Mr. Fox

Bug Brother (age 6-10 years)

Pete Johnson. Published by Puffin Books. ISBN0141307420. Age 6-10. 94 pages. 129mm X 198mm (5 in X 8.2 in). 2000. Paper Back.

Description
Jamie dislikes Harry. Harry is his younger brother who is really annoying. Harry takes Jamie's things without permission, goes into his room when Jamie is not around, wakes him up in the middle of the night and worst of all, is taller than Jamie by half a head!

Guess what Jamie did when he found a magic cape in the wood one day? Turn Harry into an annoying bug, of course! A blue bottle. Oh, gosh! But he didn't really mean to. What must he do to get another wish from the magic cape? He has no idea. Aunt Nora will be serving them lunch soon. Mum and Dad will be back in a few hours. Come on, Jamie, think! Whizz! Out flew Harry into the street. Come back....

Our review
Narrated by Jamie, it gives you an insight into the mind of the elder brother who always have to give in to the younger one. When he inadvertently turned Harry into a bug, Jamie felt both alarmed and disturbingly glad. Find out how he lured the bug brother back when it flew off into the street in its frustration.

This short story is able to keep you in suspense, resulting in you finishing the book in no time. At the end, Jamie found out how Harry actually felt towards him and their relationship improved thereafter. It also contains a subtle message about how sibling rivalry can be reduced when we take the trouble to communicate with one another. It is the ideal book for your children who fight like cats and dogs.

To order this title, click on the 'Add To Cart' button in the main store.

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Mr. Majeika (age 6-10 years)

Humphrey Carpenter. Published by Puffin Books. ISBN0140316779. Age 6-10. 96 pages. 129mm X 198mm (5 in X 8.2 in). 1985.Paperback.

Description
Class Three's new teacher flew in through the window on a magic carpet on the first day of school. Mr. Majeika was a wizard for many years. However, due to slow business, he had to get a new job, as a teacher at St. Barty's Primary School. Occasionally, he forgets that he is a teacher and has used his magic in class, much to the delight of his pupils. As if that wasn't exciting enough, Mr. Majeika sometimes forgets how to undo his magic spells. Like the time when Hamish was turned into a frog but there was no princesses around to kiss him to break the spell. What about when Hamish grew vampire's teeth and had to wrap a scarf around his face to hide it?

Our review
Mr. Majeika would certainly be your children's dream teacher. Bespectacled, benign and forgetful. he'll soon win them over. The punishment he meted out on Hamish Bigmore, a rude and annoying boy, are those that the kids would like to see happen to their own rude classmates. All of a sudden, going to school became very exciting.

Written in short chapters with large font and delightful pictures, the children will have the confidence to conquer the book.

To order this title, click on the 'Add To Cart' button in the main store.

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It's Too Frightening For Me (age 6-9 years)

Shirley Hughes. Published by Puffin Books. ISBN0140320083. Age7+ years. 80 pages. 220mm X 270mm (8.7 in X 10.6 in). 1977. Paperback.

Description
A big house with high brick walls. Gates that was always locked. Nobody went in or came out. High shrill scream 'go away, go away, go awayeeeeee.' The right ingredients that should keep children away. But somehow, Jim and Arthur were drawn to the eerie old house, more so when a girl's face appeared at the window.

Who's that girl? They decided to investigate. Arthur, trembling with fear, plucked up the courage to look for Jim who had disappeared behind the door.

Our review
An arresting plot with one surprise after another. Not your regular fairy tale, it depicts realistic scenes that dealt with being poor, mistreated and having a big heart. An excellent opportunity to widen your children's horizon - the existence of the less fortunate, our responsibility to help and charity homes. Accompanied by a generous dose of illustration (for books of this level), it is as good as watching a movie.

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Fantastic Mr. Fox (age 7-12 years)

Roald Dahl. Published by Puffin Books. ISBN0141311282. Age7+ years. 82 pages. 220mm X 270mm (8.7 in X 10.6 in). 1970. Paperback.

Description
Boggis, Bunce and Bean were three farmers of chicken, duck-and-goose, and turkey-and-apple respectively. They were rich and mean and hate the fact that Mr. Fox was helping himself to the food in the farms. Mr. Fox was too clever and knew exactly how to detect their presence in the farms. One day, Bunce had an idea. They hid outside the hole where Mr. Fox and his family lived, waiting with their guns loaded. When Mr. Fox crept out cautiously, BANG! BANG! BANG! Did they get him? No, only his tail. What next? Dig him out! Get the shovels!

Oh, dear! How was Mr. Fox going to escape this time? How did he end up having a great feast in the hole (albeit a lot deeper) with the Badgers, Moles, Rabbits and Weasels as guests? This without coming out of the hole. Where's Boggis, Bunce and Bean? Still waiting outside the fox's hole!

Our review
Fantastic, that's what this book is. This is the first book we know that portrays a fox as the 'good guy', unlike other books that stereotype foxes as sly, wicked and mean. As the race between the farmers and the foxes progressed from shovels to tractors (on the farmers' end), you'll begin to feel your heart pounding out of distress for the foxes. You'll read in despair when the foxes grew weaker without food for the third day. But of course, you can trust Roald Dahl to come up with an ingenious solution.

To order this title, click on the 'Add To Cart' button in the main store.

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