Monkfish Maggie and the Bungalow Stairs

Today’s team review is from Jessie, she blogs at http://behindthewillows.com

Jessie and her girls have been reading Monkfish Maggie and the Bungalow stairs by Catchphrase Dan

Me: “… The End.”

Clara (6): “Can you read it again?”

I read this aloud to all three of my girls: ages 9, 6 and 4. The lack of princesses and other glittery creatures meant the four year old was only listening so she could put off bedtime. My nine year old was convinced it was too scary, but in the words of my six year old, “It’s not scary, it’s exciting!” It was also funny (at least I thought it was funny) and I’m pretty sure my nine year old would have thought it was funny but she was too busy avoiding us in case it was scary and then demanding a run down of everything that happened because she really wanted to know even though she couldn’t quite admit that she really wanted to know. (Insert eye rolling mother and indignant child noises here.)

Would Ivy (9) recommend it? “I would recommend it because I think it’s like an imaginary story and people who like fiction and magic would like it.” (Ha! I knew she liked it!)

Would Clara (6) recommend it? “Yes, I already tried to tell my friend about it… because it’s really funny!”

Would Jane (4) recommend it? “No. Cause I think it’s too boring.” (Sorry guys, you needed more sparkle to get this little girl’s attention!)

Would I recommend it? I would! All my girls listened to the story, even if some were more spell bound than others, and I loved the humor. Lines like, “Before you ask, a dictionary is a large dusty book that people kept around before the internet was invented” made me giggle louder than my kids.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I discovered this book because I’m a proud member of Rosie’s Book Review Team!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Today’s team review is from Shelley, she blogs at http://shelleywilsonauthor.com/

Shelley has been reading Monkfish Maggie and the Bungalow Stairs by Catchphrase Dan

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Author: Catchphrase Dan, Illustrated by Berg Norcross

Category: Children’s Fiction

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review:

Not your traditional children’s story but Monkfish Maggie and the Bungalow Stairs has a certain unique charm that captivates the reader.

The illustrations are beautiful and flow very well with the story; my favourite has to be ‘The End’ piece with the weathervane.

Maggie is not a child protagonist, as is normally the case in children’s fiction. Maggie is, in fact, a seventy-year-old pensioner with a passion for gardening. Her husband, Nesbitt, is her soul mate, and it’s his unexpected disappearance that starts Maggie’s journey to rescue him.

I liked her fiery spirit and determination; she sets a fine example for any child reading this book that perseverance is a good thing.

There is a light humour running through the book that will amuse children and appeal to any adult audience who might be reading along with their child. Catchphrase Dan has a certain way with words that will charm his target audience. My favourite has to be ‘hornswoggled’ and I intend to use it in a sentence every day from now on.

From an adult’s point of view, I chuckled my way through this book and stopped to appreciate the illustrations. A beautifully quirky tale that will appeal to young and old alike.

I received a copy of this book from Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team in exchange for an honest review.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com