The Six Spellmakers Of Dorabji Street

The Six Spellmakers Of Dorabji Street, by Shabnam Minwalla

(Amazon)

Okay, I know that I say a lot of books are my favourites and they are the best books I’ve read but the list keeps on changing with time. This book however is one of the few that always remains in my top 10 ten favourite books. 

The story goes something like this…. Nivi, and her family move into Cosy Castle, one of the many buildings on the quiet Dorabji Street. They quickly make friends with the children in the building and they have many fun filled days. Little do the children know about the terrible storm brewing silently in the form of their neighbours. Old Mrs.Kotadia and vindictive Mrs.Braganza hate the daily cricket matches of the boys and the giggling girls in the garden. They are determined to stop the fun and games in any way that they can. 

The children are horrified when they find out that their precious bimbli trees are going to be cut down. They know that they have to act fast before their beloved trees are gone forever. Well, the only way to do this was magic….. Find out how Saritha, Nivi, Vijay, Rehaan, Nikhil and Vijay fight and try to defeat their evil neighbours. Well, you might think what’s so great about this that it’s one of my favourite books. 

The story sounds interesting enough but nothing spectacular so why do I love it so much. The answer is that the author has written it so well that you are entertained throughout the book. Some people my age might find the story uninteresting or boring but to me it’s amazing. I’ve been reading this book since 4th grade and I still love it. The jokes and humour in the book remain fresh and never fail to make me laugh. I also like how the main plot of the story is something that could happen to any kid. I am amazed at how well the author created an amazing story out of a simple idea. 

© 2020, Anika Agarwal. All rights reserved.

Ayesha and the Fire Fish by Ajay Chowdhury

Ayesha and the Fire Fish

by Ajay Chowdhury

category: children, fiction

Age: 8-12years

Reviewed by: Anika

Buy from: Amazon US, Amazon IN

Ayesha is on vacation with her parents. One night she was getting bored and was unable to sleep, so she decided to go for a walk along the beach where she was pulled into a hair-rising adventure. A talking dolphin takes her to the Queen of the Seas, Shekina. A huge problem is threatening the ocean world. Firefish, the life-giving source of the ocean are disappearing. If they disappear all the ocean life will die out and there will be chaos. Unable to say no to Shekina, Ayesha has to find out whoever is doing it and make it stop. Along with a surfboarding snail, Caroline, and her geeky cousin, Xander, she travels to many places and finds new things on the way. From shapeshifting killer dogs, to space-travelling giant beads, she discovers the truth behind the disappearing firefish.

I loved Caroline (the snail) aka Caro. I loved Caro’s dry and sarcastic comments and replies. She added a lot of humour and fun to the story. What surprised me was that Caro was so strong that she could defeat the giant killer dogs by herself. The book had a gripping plot and that’s what made me read it till the end. Though sometimes the story would lag a bit. For example, the starting was boring and not very clear when it explained what the firefish were. Another part is at the end when Ayesha meets the aliens, it is tough to understand what they are and why they need the Firefish.

Other than these few portions the rest of the book was fascinating.
© 2018, Anika Agarwal. All rights reserved.

The Adventures of Stoob: A Difficult Stage by Samit Basu

The Adventures of Stoob: A Difficult Stage

by Samit Basu

category: children, fiction, school, humour

Age: 8-12years

Reviewed by: Anika

Buy from: Amazon US, Amazon IN

This is the second book in the Stoob series by Samit Basu. We have mentioned the first book in our November newsletter. The series is about a boy named Stoob and the hurdles he faces in school. In this book, Stoob is now in middle school. The year he had been waiting for his whole life. He is very relaxed and is finding a whole new world of freedom. With his new phone and no exams what more could he ask for. When the new play comes up it’s time for Stoob to show his acting talent and get the main role before it's too late. Alas, for all his high hopes and his effort, he got the role of a table, a mere table! Adding to his horror was the name of the play, 'Teen Rama Adventurez'. Everyone knew it to be the most boring television show on the planet. Luck changes when his guitar teacher takes over the play and gives Stoob one of the main roles. Will Stoob be able to do it or will he crack under the pressure? Will the play succeed or fail? And what is the nasty surprise waiting for them at the end? Pages of humour and an interesting plot makes this one my favourites.

Now, coming to my favourite parts, the best part in the book is when Stoob carries out his secret mission. It was so funny. I enjoyed watching the Suit (read the book to learn about him) stumble and lose his way and miss the opening night. I just loved it. Every book in the series has a new, comical and fantastic plot. I have re-read the series thrice. I would recommend this series for the age group of 9-12 years.

© 2018, Anika Agarwal. All rights reserved.

Middle School: Save Rafe! by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

 

Middle School: Save Rafe!

by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

category: children, fiction, school, humour

Age: 8-12years

Reviewed by: Anika

Buy from: Amazon US, Amazon IN

This is another book in the Middle School series. In this book, after being kicked out of many schools’, Rafe was now at Airbrook Arts. Airbrook was bearable compared to the rest of the schools he had been to. Unfortunately, luck was not on Rafe's side. Just before school started, Rafe finds out that Airbrook Arts had closed down and he now had no place to go. One school finally decided to consider him, but to Rafe’s horror it was his old school HVMS (Hills Village Middle School). In sixth grade, Rafe had studied at HVMS. At the school, Rafe had broken almost every single rule in the student handbook, which had resulted in getting him expelled. Now he has no choice but to go back there. However, there is a catch. Before getting accepted, he has to go to a Survival Camp. At the camp, there were a number of tough obstacles. For each obstacle you completed you earned a badge. The goal of the camp was to earn 20 badges. If he didn’t manage to earn the badges he would be left with no school at all. The course was really tough, and they were provided with only one meal a day. Along with the new friends he makes, he must make sure that all of them work together and complete the course.

The book reminded me of when all kids are forced to do things we hate and have no option but to do them otherwise no TV or no IPad. Again, the illustrations were awesome. I also loved the comic strips that Rafe drew. The comic strips were about Loozer, a character which Rafe had created based on his own life. They are always filled with humour. Out of all the Middle School books I have read, this was one of my favourites because it was so different.



© 2018, Anika Agarwal. All rights reserved.

Middle School: The Worst Years of my life by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

Middle School: The Worst Years of my life

by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

category: children, fiction, school, humour

Age: 8-12years

Reviewed by: Anika

Buy from: Amazon US, Amazon IN

This is the first book in the middle school series by the author James Patterson. It talks about a boy named Rafe Khatchadorian who lives with his mother, his sister Georgia and his almost step-father Carl or the Bear. It is the start of the school year and Rafe is enrolled into the Hills Village Middle School or HVMS. At HVMS everything is neat and orderly and has too many rules. Rafe is one of those people who can't follow rules and wants to break them. However, under the strict eye of Principal Dwight and Ida.P. Stricker he is unable to do anything. Then his best friend Leo the Silent comes up with a plan named Operation R.A.F.E (Rules Aren't For Everyone). The plan is to break every single rule In the HVMS student handbook. Leo keeps on awarding points depending on the rule broken. Three lives and more than a hundred rules. Will Rafe be able to break every single one of them before the school year ends and he is discovered? Soon there comes a time when he is walking on ice. Does Rafe have the courage to continue? The answers are in the book.

I found the plot nice and Operation R.A.F.E was my favourite part. I love how Rafe breaks the rules in such hilarious manners. When the truth about Leo was revealed I was shocked. I never expected it. The plot builds up interestingly and not a single past is boring. Anyone who hates rules should read it. Everyone else should read it too.

© 2018, Anika Agarwal. All rights reserved.

Rosa and the Special Prize (Magic Ballerina, Book 10) by Darcey Bussell

Rosa and the Special Prize (Magic Ballerina, Book 10)

by Darcey Bussell

category: children, fiction, fairy-tale

Age: 8-12years

Reviewed by: Anika

Buy from: Amazon US, Amazon IN

This is one of the books in the Magic Ballerina series. It talks about a girl named Rosa, who loves ballet and wants to become a famous ballerina like her mum. She also has a secret - she owns a pair of magic ballet shoes that take her to a magical world called Enchantia. All the characters from famous ballets live here. For example, the Nutcracker, the Sugarplum Fairy, etc.

This time when Rosa is taken to Enchantia a terrible problem has arisen. The sceptre of King Neptune (the king of the seas) is stolen. He believes that King Tristan, the king of the land had stolen it. King Neptune decided to flood the land and make huge storms till King Tristan returned it. Unfortunately, the problem was that King Tristan hadn't stolen it. It was up to Rosa and her friend Nutmeg, to find the sceptre in the vast sea and also the real culprit before the land and sea was torn apart by the storms. This was the first book in the Magic Ballerina series that I read. I found the book to have a simple and entertaining storyline. The best part was the dance which Rosa and Nutmeg did to become sea nymphs. I also liked the part when the real culprit is revealed. The only part that I didn't like was when the two girls were in the cave. It gets boring as all it talks about is Solly, a cave spirit. Other than that, it is a good read.
© 2018, Anika Agarwal. All rights reserved.