Tag Flavia Sorrentinto

Kevin the Vampire: A Fanged and Fearsome Fiend

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Kevin the Vampire: A Fanged and Fearsome Fiend
Matt Brown, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Nosy Crow

As the story opens Kevin receives a notice concerning his Gloaming,. This is an ancient test that eleven year olds have to pass to demonstrate they have the skills required to be a vampire. There are three skills, the first being Transformation when Kevin must turn into a bat. The second is Mind-Speaking which requires speaking in someone else’s mind and third is a Melt. (into the darkness). The first two shouldn’t prove any trouble for Kevin, however the third is something he isn’t able to do. But if he doesn’t pass all three he will be cast out forever. Kevin needs help and support but the one who could provide these cannot attend the event as it’s only for vampires, no matter she is regarded as part of Kevin’s family; to do so would be a violation of vampire rule number ninety three. What about a werewolf vampire though?

Before the tests begin Kevin’s Dad presents him with a special good luck surprise – the Aurelius Hat of Good Fortune and it certainly works for the Transformation though not all participants are quite so successful.

After this part Kevin and his vampire werewolf buddy take a walk and there follows an unexpected encounter first with dragons and then the Creature Keeper who is impressed with Kevin’s skills.

The MInd-Speaking set in the Orchard of Complete Forbiddenness

proves problematic for Kevin and he almost fails but due to unforeseen circumstances, eventually manages to succeed. That only leaves the next day’s Melt: can Kevin complete it in the allocated time? If not then what …

A terrific adventure with a satisfying finale, a cast of characters that includes some pretty nasty beings and Flavia Sorrentino’s weird and wacky illustrations: younger readers will be eager to get their fangs into this one for sure.

Kevin the Vampire: A Wild and Wicked Witch / Goosebumps House of Shivers: Goblin Monday

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Kevin the Vampire: A Wild and Wicked Witch
Matt Brown, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Nosy Crow

In this sequel to A Most Mysterious Monster Kevin (almost eleven) and his family, plus human best friend Susie Cabbage who now lives with them, and the Carnival Monstromo carriages are heading to Monstro City to take part in the Dragon Parade. Reluctantly, Susie is clad in an exceedingly itchy, scratchy dress.

As they are running late, Kevin’s family take a shortcut through the perilous Wild Woods, a place nobody ever goes on account of the dastardly witch who lives there. Everything should be fine as long as no one gets out and no one eats anything … err? Kevin will be at the Festival before you can say incredible (which Susie does) After all, nothing goes wrong for the Carnival Monstromo, never ever …
With the performing of awesome tricks including the Danger Dive of Death, revelations relating to Uncle Drax’s falling out with Lazarus Vandross, the disappearance of Dog, some serious sadness for Susie,

and aided and abetted by The Sphinx, the fizzling out of Grayvon Fury, the most evil witch in Grackelser Odd, this is a real humdinger of an adventure. Those familiar with the first book will recognise some of the magical monstrous creatures from that, but Matt Brown has invented some additional characters, mostly of the humorous, even slightly bonkers variety. All this plus Flavia Sorrentino’s weird and wonderful illustrations: primary age readers could ask for nothing more.

Goosebumps House of Shivers: Goblin Monday
R.L. Shine
Scholastic

This story is narrated by Mario who has recently moved with his family from Florida to Philadelphia. He’s been invited to join his new friends Todd and Jewel on their winter holiday at their grandparents’ home in Vermont and is thrilled at the prospect of seeing snow for the first time.

Pretty soon after they arrive, Mario starts to suspect that something really weird is going on inside this house. Todd and Jewel’s grandparents are more than a little odd: Grandpa Tweety really loves his birds and in the evenings tells tales about goblins, gremlins and imps; he’s also written books about them. MomMom loves to make stews and she knits strange green outfits. However, the real terrors begin when Mario finds that the fairy tales may not be made up stories after all. He’s attacked by a creature in the garden and his friends’ parents disappear.

Full of twists and turns, it’s all a bit creepy and anyone prone to nightmares is advised not to read this just before bedtime.

Kevin the Vampire / Victoria Stitch Dark and Sparkling

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Kevin the Vampire
Matt Brown, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Nosy Crow

Having enjoyed the proof I couldn’t wait to see the published book with all the wonderfully entertaining illustrations by Flavia.
Star of this fangciful story is ten year old Kevin Aurelius, not quite the same as other boys his age for he has fangs and being a vampire he’s immortal. Kevin belongs to a family of travelling performers and as the tale begins they are supposed to be en route to Monstros city for the Festival of Fear but instead have wound up in Lower Drudging in the middle of Nowhere. Batnav failure maybe? With them are an assortment of other eccentric monster characters.

Nowhere is human territory and none of Kevin’s family has seen a human. However, a suggestion is made to put on a performance in Lower Drudging – an impromptu one in the hope of earning some gold that will enable them to get back on track to their original destination.

Also in Lower Drudging, suddenly awoken from her slumbers is a young human, Susie Cabbage who lives with two unpleasant aunts. She is eager to know the cause of her rude awakening so out she goes to investigate. Inevitably Kevin and Susie meet and a friendship develops between them.

Meanwhile shock horror: – the mayor and his council members have noticed the sign put up about the performance to be held that very evening. This is horrifying because nothing fun has happened in Lower Drudging for seventy five years on account of the ‘You-Know-What’ that lives inside Cold Mountain. Is this something that Kevin and Susie can investigate and discover the truth about? It might just save the town …

With its wealth of wordplay, this is a really funny start to a new series with some serious underlying themes about acceptance, friendship and not judging others by their looks. Add to all that a number of monster fact cards strategically placed throughout and a final monster themed alphabet and the result is a cracker. Bring on book two.

Victoria Stitch Dark and Sparkling
Harriet Muncaster
Oxford Children’s Books

Heavily laced with gothic glamour, is this third in the series starring the unstoppable young Victoria Stitch recently made co-Queen of Wiskling Wood along with her twin sister Celestine. As the story opens there’s also news of a soon to be born new royal baby. Fast forward eleven months and Princess Minnie Stitch, next in line to the throne, bursts forth from her crystal and in the blink of an eye is making Victoria Stitch’s heart glow.

With Wiskmas approaching, Victoria Stitch takes a trip to Spellbrooke where she encounters a pair of Sapphire Society members who are clearly far from pleased to see her. She then learns that the group meets regularly and being Victoria Stitch, she just can’t stop herself using some invisibility dust and going to listen in on their next get together. What she hears makes her think a plot is afoot.

Shortly afterwards Princess Minnie disappears, followed fairly soon by news of a prison breakout. That means two of Victoria Stitch’s greatest enemies are at large again and it’s likely that the two events are connected. Moreover, their destination is the human world. The police tell her to remain in the safety of the palace but feeling as though she’s inflicted a terrible wound upon herself, Victoria Stitch certainly has no intention of so doing.

With her sister’s blessing, off she goes over the magic boundary wall on operation rescue Princess Minnie and recover the stolen Book of Wiskling. The following morning she and her human friend, Naomi, set out, destination Pinks Rock. Can she pull off a very difficult task, or even two?

Another absolute delight despite the setbacks; Victoria’s character continues to develop interestingly the more challenges she faces and as always, the book explodes with magical images.
I know a lot of children will be jumping for joy at the chance to read this.

Cosima Unfortunate Steals A Star

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Cosima Unfortunate Steals A Star
Laura Noakes, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino
Harper Collins Children’s Books

You really must meet twelve year old Cosima, Cos to her friends and merely ‘number one’ to the thoroughly nasty, money-grabbing Stains, the sister and brother who run the Home for Unfortunate Girls; this is because she was the very first child they took in as an infant. The story is set in 1899 and by then Cos, has been joined by disabled children, considered unsuitable to be living elsewhere in respectable Victorian society, most notably Pearl, Mary and Diya each of whom has their own set of skills as well as differences.

The girls spend almost all their time unpicking old rope for the loathsome Stains and what little time is their own they devote to developing their skills and hobbies; for Cos this often means planning mini-heists for getting hold of cakes, with varying degrees of success.

When they learn of a stranger, Lord Francis Fitzroy, an explorer who wants to adopt all twenty girls for the ‘Empire Exhibition’ the girls suspect something sinister is afoot. So they formulate a plan; a much more ambitious heist than anything they have ever done before. Using all the creativity, skills and courage they have, Cos et al plan to steal the priceless Indian Star tiara from the villainous Fitzroy’s exhibition.

For Cos though, there’s something else at stake too: she really really wants to find out about the identity of her parents.

This is a crackingly good, thought-provoking story that presents historical themes, some of which are highly relevant to today’s British society: there’s the thorny issue of Empire, and the way history has treated differently abled children. On a positive note the author shows how such differently abled children can be highly successful. Like Cos, Laura Noakes has hypermobility spectrum disorder and it’s exciting to learn that she intends to turn this debut novel into a series: bring it on.

Readers around the age of Cos and her friends should read this.