Tag George Ermos

Rudy and the Ghastly Gathering / Press Start: Super Rabbit Boy Blasts Off!

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Rudy and the Ghastly Gathering
Paul Westmoreland, illustrated by George Ermos
Oxford Children’s Books

When Rudy and Femi are invited to Edie’s birthday party they are warned that ghost parties are ‘a little different’. It’s in a haunted house after all, but why has Edie been keeping the event under wraps? Nevertheless the two are determined to make it her best birthday so far. Come Saturday the friends skate their way to Edie’s home taking with them her special present, a present they decide won’t compete with the super bike her dad conjures up. As expected Edie wants to try it out at the Skateway immediately, so off they go, with Edie’s little spirit-sister Holly tagging along.

Once there Holly straightway starts drawing attention to herself pretending to vanish and it becomes difficult to tell which disappearances are pretence and which real. It’s down to the friends to work out what’s what and find Holly before she’s washed away by raging river water. Can they do so and what about Edie’s birthday party? Will a spookily special celebration be shared by all?

This latest exciting adventure wherein friendship and teamwork are vital will be eagerly seized by fans of the series. Those who have yet to discover the joys of Paul Westmoreland’s gothic-inspired early readers, powerfully illustrated by George Ermos, would be better to read the first story Rudy and the Wolf Cub beforehand.

Press Start: Super Rabbit Boy Blasts Off!
Thomas Flintham
Nosy Crow

I know many Super Rabbit enthusiasts who will want to join Sunny and Super Rabbit Boy on another adventure. As the book opens a party is under way in Animal Town in celebration of the dastardly King Viking having gone away for ever, destination outer space. But suddenly in the middle of town a rocket lands from which disembarks a green alien calling itself Glob Glorp. The message is that King Viking and his army of robots is causing a lot of trouble in outer space. The alien lends Super Rabbit Boy his Level 1 rocket and off zooms the rabbit to deal with things.

Tasks entail overcoming mega Rocket Robots and their bosses and saving lots of aliens including Flobs and Roo-Roos, in order to upgrade his rocket to higher levels, till he has a Level 10 rocket, but he still hasn’t found the evil King Viking. Eventually with a Level 11 rocket, Super Rabbit Boy lands and comes face to face with the being he thinks is the one he seeks. But could it be somebody else? If so, then what?

This fifth episode moves at a rapid pace that will please young video game enthusiasts as well as fans of the series. It’s also a good one to offer older reluctant readers.

Kitty and the Snowball Bandit / Rudy and the Forbidden Lake

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Additions to two popular series from Oxford Children’s Books – thank you to the publisher for sending them for review.

Kitty and the Snowball Bandit
Paula Harrison, illustrated by Jenny Lovlie

There’s a decidedly chilly feel to Kitty’s thirteenth adventure when she wakes one morning to find that snow has fallen overnight. That evening she, her Mum, Dad and her little brother, Max, head to the Winter Fair and while Kitty and her Mum are enjoying themselves on the ice rink, a snowball suddenly hits Kitty and another woman. Soon an announcement is made warning everyone to take care as a Snow Bandit is in the fairground so as it’s late they decide to return home.

At bedtime Kitty is pondering upon the evening’s events when Pixie the cat appears looking very soggy and sad. She too has been hit, seemingly by the Snow Bandit. Kitty gets dressed again, then donning her superhero cape and mask off she goes onto the roof and heads to the park. Before long she’s hit by another snowball and then spies a figure in an orange cloak – the Snow Bandit.

Eventually Kitty finds herself facing her adversary, also wearing superhero gear and learns that she’s Sienna, the fox girl.

Suddenly there’s a squeaking sound; it’s three baby rabbits adrift in the middle of the river, caught by the current and heading towards some jagged rocks. Kitty is determined to save them, but can she do so? Maybe if the two combine their super powers and collaborate in a rescue effort. Who knows it might even be the beginning of a new friendship …

Pacey, full of action, cat characters and snowballs, with plenty of Jenny Lovlie’s dramatic, beautifully detailed illustrations, Paula Harrison once again has penned an exciting nocturnal adventure for young readers

Rudy and the Forbidden Lake
Paul Westmoreland, illustrated by George Ermos

It’s the middle of winter and excitement is high in Cobble Cross on the eve of celebrations for the Winter Solstice. Then as the final preparations are being made a terrible storm hits the town. The following morning Rudi’s Dad notices his silver candlestick is missing, then when he goes out to meet his friends, he learns that other things have gone missing. Is it the the result of the strong winds or is there a thief at large.

When Femi’s skateboard disappears too, Rudy and his friends start searching in Gnarlybark Forest and suddenly they hear a POP! followed by several other strange sounds. Bubbles start bursting through the surface of the forbidden lake followed by a strange domed entity. Their instinct is to run away but that won’t solve the problem of the missing things. Instead they creep back together to confront whatever it is in the lake. Tentacles start emerging from the water, one of which wraps around Femi. Eventually the tentacled creature drags itself ashore and little by little, this Squibby thing offers an explanation for its behaviour.

What will happen when Squiggly attempts to apologise to all the townsfolk? Will the ensuing chaos subside in time for the celebrations to go ahead after all?

It’s not easy to find books that appeal to both boy and girl newly independent readers but this series featuring young werewolf, Rudy and his skateboarding pals does just that. So, it’s good to see the gang back in this their fifth book. It’s full of dramatic incidents and as always George Ermos’ stylish energetic illustrations capture the changing mood of the telling, adding additional humour where appropriate.

Johnny Ball Professional Football Genius / Rudy and the Skate Stars

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Johnny Ball Professional Football Genius
Matt Oldfield, illustrated by Tim Wesson
Walker Books


In his role as manager, nine year old Johnny Ball has recently led the Tissbury Tigers to glory at the world’s top youth tournament. He’s basking in the glory when he is approached by soccer agent, Darren Dealz telling him that the Tissbury Thundercats want an assistant manager for their Under-12s academy team and that somebody should be our young narrator.


Johnny lands the job with the proviso that he remembers that manager, Jaz ,is the one in charge – the decision maker – and he mustn’t overstep the mark. A challenge if ever there was one, particularly as his best friend Tabia is joining the squad.


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It’s a steep learning curve for Johnny, who as ever, is bursting with ideas; there’s a serious falling out with his bestie and unwelcome interference from Darren Deals but the assistant manager never loses sight of his main goal – that Tissbury Thundercats team take the Prime League title.


Champions or not? Johnny Ball fans will relish this amusing story with its liberal sprinkling of suitably dramatic drawings by Tim Wesson. Assuredly it’s a winner in this reviewer’s book.

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Rudy and the Skate Stars
Paul Westmoreland, illustrated by George Ermos
Oxford Children’s Books


Excitement is high when werewolf Rudy and his friends, Femi (a mummy) and Edie (a ghost) discover that the Skate Stars competition is coming to their hometown, Cobble Cross and the legendary Jessie Howler is to be the judge. With the event just a week away the three pals know they must practise hard to stand any chance of a medal and Rudy is up super early next morning to start working on his moves. He’s only just got started when a group of wolf boys turn up looking smart and performing impressively. One of their number, Wolfgang. introduces the crew as the Night Owls and starts chatting to Rudi. He also asks Rudy to show some of his moves.


The following day Wolfgang suggests that Rudy enters the competition with them instead of Femi and Edie, saying that he’s much more likely to win if he does. The little werewolf can hardly believe his luck: it’s always been his dream to stand on top of the podium with a gold medal around his neck but switching teams means that he must agree to follow Wolfgang’s lead. However he decides to join the Night Owls team; but on the day of the competition, having had a chat with Jessie Fowler, Rudy feels conflicted: should he go for winning and risk losing his friends?

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He tells Wolfgang he’s changed his mind and prefers to skate with The Power Pack.
What happens thereafter shows Rudy that winning the gold medal isn’t what really matters most.


This fourth story of Rudy and his pals is certain to please his followers among those just flying solo as readers and they’ll likely find additional fans among young skateboarders new to the series. As always George Ermos’s super-cool illustrations help break up the text and ramp up the action.










Rudy and the Secret Sleepskater / Isadora Moon and the New Girl

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These are additions to popular Oxford Children’s series : thanks to the publisher for sending them for review

Rudy and the Secret Sleepskater
Paul Westmoreland, illustrated by George Ermos

Rudy is a wolf boy; his good friends are ghost girl Edie and Femi the mummy and they love to skateboard together. In this story, Rudy and Edie are invited to Femi’s home for a sleepover, something Rudy is eagerly anticipating until he’s told he must leave his beloved pet wolf cub Wolfie behind.

When he gets there, Rudy finds the food, let’s say, somewhat unusual and certainly not to his taste; but then one of Femi’s older sisters divulges something even more unusual about their young brother: he’s a secret sleepwalker. 

At bedtime, unable to sleep on account of Femi’s grandmother’s snoring, he climbs out through the skylight and howls to his Wolfie; he then embarks on a game of hide-and-seek with Edie. However Rudy has failed to close the window and not long after, the two of them notice Femi sleepwalking on the roof. 

Not only does he sleep-walk though: a fall lands the young mummy on his skateboard and off he goes at considerable speed. Can Rudy and Edie steer Femi back safely from a nightmarish situation? Perhaps, with a bit of assistance from a certain wolf cub. Moreover can the friendship between the three transcend the differences that make themselves apparent during the sleepover?

I’ve not met these characters in their previous adventures but certainly found this one, with its important messages and splendid illustrations by George Ermos, a fun, snappy read.. The series is ideal for bridging the gap between picture books and solo reading of longer chapter books and I have no doubt Rudy et al will find a place in the hearts of younger newly independent readers. The power of Rudy’s pack clearly extends well beyond his family.

Isadora Moon and the New Girl
Harriet Muncaster

Isadora doesn’t take to Ava, the new girl who joins her class wearing snazzy, sparkling boots, thinking her standoffish and mean. Nevertheless, at the insistence of her Mum and Dad Isadora agrees to make an invitation for Ava along with all her friends for the party she’s going to host for her beloved Pink Rabbit.

The following day she hands out almost all the invites but somehow can’t find the right time to give Ava hers and in fact Ava’s behaviour seems even meaner so she keeps her invitation in her bag.

Back at home she eventually confesses to her Dad saying she feels really mean about the way she’s acted. He suggests two things: first that Isadora gives Ava the invitation the next morning and second that they take a pre evening breakfast fly to help his daughter clear her head. As they swoop over the park, Isadora spots some ducklings; so have other people – Ava and her parents are watching them too. 

Suddenly Isadora spots something else, something small that Ava has just taken from her pocket. From that moment the little vampire fairy starts to change the way she treats the new girl.

Don’t make judgements about people too quickly; get to know them first is the message that emerges from the latest Isadora Moon story. As always, it’s an Isa-delight to be in the company of the Moon family, but young solo readers new to the series might want to start with the first book, Isadora Moon Goes to School.

Mort the Meek and the Perilous Prophecy

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Mort the Meek and the Perilous Prophecy
Rachel Delahaye, illustrated by George Ermos
Little Tiger

Mindful of the introduction to this tale, lacking a rat disguise I worked on my scuttling and creeping skills, then donned my brown jacket and trousers before settling down to read Mort and Weed’s latest adventure, which like the previous two, begins in the rat-infested kingdom of Brutalia.

Happily for the two of them, or maybe not all that happily, some of the story takes place on a different island named Bonrock. Before that though, the friends meet two girls from Bonrock, Vita and Genia. It’s to this place that, not long after, the best friends are sent on a military mission, which will likely start ringing alarm bells for if you’ve read the first two books, you will know that Mort and Meek are staunch pacifists.

Bonrock seems pretty idyllic; surely the inhabitants won’t greet them with ‘fists of ferocity’ as happens on Brutalia? Are they friendly or as it appears to the two pacifists, intent on inflicting torture on their own people? It starts to look that way to the visitors as Genia and Vita show Weed and Mort around the classrooms and kitchens respectively. However misunderstandings are abundant in this story – I’ll say no more on that topic. I will say though that Weed develops a serious crush.

So much happens before the finale: there’s oodles of excitement, the possibility of a very painful punishment and Brutalia has a new Royal Soup Sayer; but throughout Mort is as determined as ever to promote peace and harmony over fury and fighting.

Rachel Delahaye is a superb linguist – her writing is cleverer and wittier with each new book. The wordplay is wonderful; even the characters get involved in explanations of such things as homophones and this works well. Whether the essence of the story is trusting strangers and fearing soup or fearing strangers and trusting soup, you can decide when you read it.

I’m off to change out of my brown attire and have a bowl of tomato soup. Oh yes and adding to the deliciousness of the book are George Ermos’ black and white illustrations.

The Secret Wild

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The Secret Wild
Alex Evelyn, illustrated by George Ermos
Walker Books

How super to have an adventure that revolves around plants.

Ten year old Fern Featherstone is, according to her father, an overly curious child. She has spent most of her time travelling the world with her botanist parents and has accrued a fair bit of information about plants, many of which she talks to, but her father disapproves of non-theoretical knowledge. As the story begins, Fern and her parents are in the Amazonian rainforest; but after a mishap her parents decide to send her to London to live with Uncle Ned: after all she’s never had a friend or been to school like other children her age. This is something about which Fern is far from happy; but then on the plane, she finds herself unexpectedly in possession of a strange small plant – one that can understand her – her very first friend.

Once at Uncle Ned’s, she learns of strange happenings in London’s public places: a spate of unusual plants appearing from nobody knows where, growing destructively large, disrupting people’s lives and even causing seismic tremors. The following morning, feeling uprooted Fern wanders into the city, meets neighbour and plant phobic Woody. But when her plant – she’s named it Special – starts getting weaker, she only has this strange boy to ask for help to locate the botanist woman from whom she acquired it.

It’s not long before Fern discovers that this woman – Oleander, as she tells Fern to call her – has nightmarish plans and that her so called ‘green revolution’ must be stopped before time runs out.

There are so many things to love about this debut novel: the main protagonist who lives life on her terms, her lovable author Uncle Ned whose main skill apart from writing is toast-making; Fern’s friend in need, jigsaw-puzzle loving Woody, the way in which both scientific knowledge and London landmarks are woven into the story, the use of plant names for many of the characters, not forgetting that botanist turned villain and the whole thing is sprinkled with humour. With a fab. cover by George Ermos whose plant drawings grow around each new chapter page, it’s a book that will wind its tendrils around you and not unfurl them until you reach the end.

Mort the Meek and the Monstrous Quest / Mike Falls Up

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These are two new fiction titles from the Little Tiger Stripes imprint – thanks to the publishers for sending them for review

Mort the Meek and the Monstrous Quest
Rachel Delahaye, illustrated by George Ermos

According to the introduction to this second adventure of Mort, I am mad, for it warns readers not to proceed to the first chapter if they suffer from seasickness, which I most definitely do. Nonetheless having enjoyed Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge, I was prepared to swallow some anti-nausea tablets and board ship along with the founder of Brutalia’s pacifist society and vegetarian protagonist, as eager as he, to leave the ghastly shores of Brutalia with its gruesome Queen. In fact it’s partly on account of said Queen that Mort sets sail on the Salty Sea for she has issued a challenge that would give him the opportunity to search, not for the treasure she desires, but for his missing father and sibling twins Gosh and Gee.

However, find an amazing treasure – the three tentacled Belgo – is just what Mort and his tough companion Punky, daughter of a rock crusher, do.

That happens only half way through this story though, by which time Mort has more or less convinced himself that said Belgo has consumed his missing family members, What of his pacifism now? Will it lose out to his anger?

The fact that Rachel Delahaye is a wonderfully humorous wordsmith is part of what makes this dark tale a smashing read; she’s replaced those chapter opening ravens with masters of misinterpretation, Bruce and Larry, a pair of lobsters. There’s danger aplenty too, but the story isn’t without hope: after all where there’s pacifism there’s always hope, all of which George Ermos brings out in his plentiful black and white illustrations.

For slightly younger readers is:

Mike Falls Up
Candy Gourlay, illustrated by Carles Ballesteros

This addition to the Stripes series of full colour fiction for newly independent readers begins in the Chocolate Hills, in the Philippines. It’s a very hot day, too hot really to do anything much and Mike’s mama has sent him and his dog Bowow out for some fresh air while she prepares dinner. They’re sitting on a hill when a sudden earthquake occurs, the ground splits open and Bowow leaps into the hole.

Soon after an anonymous note blows up on which is written BIRTHDAY. COME NOW. JUST FALL UP.
The boy has no idea who sent it, nor how to fall up but he does know that he has to find Bowow, so into the darkness he plunges. The next thing he knows Mike is roused by a dog with an unfamiliar face and a voice shouting, “Foofoo! Is he awake?”

What follows results in an altogether different kind of birthday party but it isn’t for the little girl Kaneisha in whose London room he finds himself. Nor does it take place in a setting either child recognises; suffice it to say that their host is exceedingly happy to see the unexpected guests, a fun time ensues and friendships are forged.

The author has certainly left gaps for readers to fill in this strange story that Carles Ballesteros has made even stranger with his almost surreal, computer game style illustrations.

Interestingly, this is the first in the series to be published as a paperback original, which I think, the target audience might prefer.



Museum Kittens: The Sleepover Mystery / Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge

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These are 2 new fiction titles from the Stripes Publishing imprint: thanks to Little Tiger for sending them for review

Museum Kittens: The Sleepover Mystery
Holly Webb, illustrated by Sarah Lodge

The Museum Kittens, Peter, Tasha, Bianca and Boris are proud of their new guarding duties though they’re finding it pretty tiring work. Tired as they might be, they’re all eagerly anticipating the museum’s latest enterprise to bring in extra visitors. A group of sixty children are to visit and stay overnight in the Dinosaur Gallery. Bianca above all the others is mega excited, so much so that she does something which causes a furore in the Costume Gallery and then, following a spat with the other kittens, wants to spend all her time with the children, even keeping them company during the night – the time when the nasty rats are on the prowl. It’s during the night that her siblings realise that Bianca is missing.

The search is on. Come morning they still haven’t found her:

surely she can’t have been intending to run away and got on the coach with the children …

There’s plenty of furry fun, frolics and frights as those who are familiar with the series will know. However, Holly’s latest book is an enjoyable read even if this is your first encounter with these lovable felines; and there are plenty of Sarah Lodge’s black and white illustrations to break up the text for less confident readers.

Mort the Meek and the Ravens’ Revenge
Rachel Delahaye, illustrated by George Ermos

The only Rachel Delahaye stories I’d read before this were her Little Animal Rescue series so this came as something of a surprise. It couldn’t be more different.
For starters it’s set in the kingdom of Brutalia – an island community – where violence is the way of life. Ravens circle overhead, dreaming of eating eyeballs or brains. With its motto LIVE OR DIE, this certainly isn’t a place to book your next summer holiday.

Its chief protagonist is young Mort the Meek who inherits the role of Royal executioner when his uncle dies. Mort is the kingdom’s only pacifist so imagine his horror when he learns that his first victim is to be his good friend Weed.

Nobody has ever dared to stand up to the heinous queen of this realm and survived. Could Mort possibly do so and perhaps even find a way to save his friend’s life?

It all sounds pretty horrifying but Rachel Delahaye’s narrative is often very funny and the tale is full of unexpected twists and turns, so if you can cope with the violent punishment regime (I share Mort’s pacifist principles) you will laugh a fair bit, especially at the ravens. that open each chapter. And, the ending is hugely satisfying …

George Ermos has done a terrific job with the illustrations that are littered with small humorous details.

Humanatomy: How the Body Works

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Humanatomy: How the Body Works
Nicola Edwards, George Ermos and Jem Maybank
360 Degrees

Ever wanted to go beneath your skin and get right up close to your inner workings? If so, then this is definitely the book for you.

Tucked inside the front cover is a flip-over section comprising eight superb labelled illustrations, one for each of the body’s systems

excluding the endocrine, immune and reproductive systems.

The main part of the book contains an introductory page followed by a brief explanation of how the systems work together; and then detailed chapters on each of those systems, the first being the integumentary system.

Like the chapters that follow, it begins with a short overview of the functions and other fascinating facts; and then goes into detail using questions that immediately draw the reader in. Questions such as ‘Why do we have different shades of skin and why do some people have freckles?’ ‘Why do your hands go wrinkly in the bath?’ or, ‘How does skin heal itself? And what are scabs and scars all about?’

Next comes the muscular system, followed by the skeletal system that includes a labelled pictorial sequence of how a broken bone heals …

Thereafter we have the digestive system and then the respiratory system. I’ve no doubt children will delight in the ‘What is snot and why do we have it?’ paragraph and be fascinated to learn that the highest ‘sneeze speed’ on record is 165 km (103 miles) per hour.

The circulatory, nervous and urinary systems are equally fascinating. Did you know that blood makes up about 7% of our body weight? Or that lobsters have little urine nozzles under their eyes and communicate by squirting wee into each other’s faces – slightly off key but the sort of thing that children love to discover.

The final systems spread encompasses the endocrine, immune and reproductive systems.

And the last chapter (before the very accessible glossary) looks at DNA and what makes us who we are.

Altogether a fabulous publication. The writing is perfectly pitched for child readers, the production is excellent, as are the  illustrations by George Ermos and Jemima Maybank, it’s a book that deserves to be in every primary classroom collection and on every child’s bookshelf.

Baking Bonanza: Dough Knights and Dragons / Jake Bakes a Monster Cake

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Dough Knights and Dragons
Dee Leone and George Ermos
Sterling

Here’s a ‘Great British Bake Off’ tale set in the days of yore when dragons roamed and knights fought them.
A young knight comes upon a cave filled with novel ingredients and cannot resist cooking up a huge pot of savoury stew.
So delicious is its aroma that it arouses the resident dragon and before long the two have formed a forbidden friendship because it’s deemed in this land that every knight must slay a dragon and every dragon must eat a knight.
As their friendship flourishes so do their culinary skills but as the day of impending contest draws ever nearer, the two realise that they must cook up a clever solution by means of the thing that has bound them together in friendship.

And what a tasty solution that turns out to be with its mix of semantic niceties and unusual shaped doughnuts;

and the outcome changes the nature of competitions between knights and dragons for ever more,
This is a recipe for a lip-smacking storytime: there’s adventure, friendship, edibles, suspense, chivalry and a sweet ending, all delivered through a rhyming narrative readers aloud will enjoy sharing, and vibrant, playful digital illustrations.
Take a look at the end papers too.

More cooking in:

Jake Bakes a Monster Cake
Lucy Rowland and Mark Chambers
Macmillan Children’s Books

Jake is busy in the kitchen; he’s called in his pals to help him bake an extra delicious cake for sweet-loving Sam’s birthday tea.
His fellow monsters scoff at Jake’s cook book deeming instructions a waste of time …

and instead invent their own recipe, a concoction of altogether unsavoury items. Surprisingly, the mixture tastes pretty good to Jake though.

When it’s baked to perfection, off go Jake and his fellow cooks to deliver the enormous confection; but suddenly disaster strikes …
Is that the end of a wonderful birthday treat for Sam?
Lucy Rowland and Mark Chambers have together rustled up a deliciously disgusting tale. Lucy’s the rhymer and Mark the picture maker and their latest offering is sure to illicit plenty of EEUUGHs from young audiences.
There’s an added treat in the form of a pack of scratch ‘n’ sniff stickers: clothes pegs at the ready!