A round-up of the latest books for children and teenagers. Reviewed by Lola Tannock.
FUNNY KID: STAND UP
Matt Stanton
HarperCollins
Max (aka funny kid) has always been a bit of a comedian. When he was little, he would ask his parents "what is the meaning of cheese?'' or "what is the opposite of pancake?''.
So when the town puts on a talent show, Max finds it is time to show the world his skill. Except ... there is a clown, it teases him and puts him down, and Grandpa is missing. With all this going on, Max seems to have lost his funny.
His life coach (and best friend) is trying to help him regain his powers, but is not helping.
Abby is not helping either. Her magic act is so good Max knows he will not win the talent show. He is feeling like that about most of the other contestants, too, apart from a guy who had strapped pans and pots to himself and would apparently play Mozart.
DEAR WORLD
Bana Alabed
Simon & Schuster
It takes a lot to make me laugh out loud, but this book did.
This is a sad, sad book that makes you want to do something about war.
Bana is living a life very much like yours or mine when the bombing begins. At first it is far away and they do not need to worry too much. Then it gets louder and comes closer. Bana and her family are forced to leave for Turkey.
After a while, they return home but that is a bad idea; everything is rebuilt but the war continues. A siege comes and they have to live on rice and pasta. They cannot escape again.
This is when Bana takes to Twitter to describe the horrors she goes through and to ask for peace for all children like her. She even writes to Hillary Clinton on Twitter "Hi @hillaryclinton my name is Bana I'm a 7-year-old girl in Aleppo can you #stand with Aleppo children please?''
Bana is so brave, more than I could ever be. Read this book if you want to cry.'
BAD DAD
David Walliams
HarperCollins
Frank's dad races his mini "Queenie'' around race tracks. Then one day when there is a horrific car crash, he loses his leg and has it replaced with a wooden one.
Frank's dad cannot drive any more and they become poor, so he is forced to find a new job somewhere. The new job isn't exactly legal - in fact it's the opposite.
Dad does not tell Frank what he is doing, so naturally his son is curious. One night Frank follows him, ends up on the roof of a moving car and then driving the car over a circle of police cars. His own "Demolition Derby'' he says.
The only problem with David Walliams' books is that sometimes they can be too crazy. Roald Dahl had George's Marvellous Medicine and The BFG, but also Danny Champion of the World, which was more serious.
Bad Dad is a more serious one from Walliams. It's definitely one of his best, but that seems to be the case with every new release.
DIARY OF A WHIMPY KID: THE GETAWAY
Jeff Kinney
Penguin
Poor old Greg. Nothing good ever seems to happen to him - even going on holiday to a tropical resort turns nasty when his plane is delayed and an early flight turns into an overnight one.
Things get worse when they arrive and are immediately housed on the "mild side'' of the resort. Greg doesn't know why he cannot go to the "wild side'' until he realises it's for young couples who want fun. The mild side is for families who need somewhere to dump their kids.
So Greg makes the most of it, however hard it is, with giant lizards crawling around and spiders using the toilet. But Greg has not faced his greatest fear yet - FAMILY.
Because of them the pool is drained. Because of them they are banned from the resort. Because of them he is pelted with tennis balls and shot with water.
I recommend this book for anyone who likes humour. You will whizz through it, and the cartoon illustrations are perfect for younger readers. It is just as good as the rest of the series.
Lola Tannock is an 11-year-old Dunedin school pupil.
