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I've just finished reading The Blizzard Wizard to 9-year-old Sophie and I have to say, it's quite unlike any other book I've ever read to her ! Frank Hinks weaves an enchanting tale of adventures set in a nightmarish (but not TOO scary !) fantasy world peopled with creepy but often hilarious monsters.
The story follows three brothers and their strange rabbit friend Scrooey-Looey who have to travel strange lands and complete an exciting quest in order to rescue their cat (and the world at large) from the Blizzard Wizard, who has escaped from his remote prison cell and is having fun turning people into blocks of ice. The picture on the front cover of the book (and which appears towards the end of the book too) is a pretty good representation of how you feel at times when reading it ! There is so much going on and so many weird and wonderful characters racing across the pages that your brain almost starts fizzing ! There is a huge amount of action and excitement but sometimes it almost seems too fast-paced and I would have liked a little more background information about the boys and Scrooey-Looey, for example. This is the fourteenth book in the Ramion series though, so I'm sure you'd have a much clearer idea of exactly what is going on if you've read all the other books.
The illustrations are really colourful and full of details and Sophie loved the fact that they looked like a child had drawn them. She also loved the "rude" humour with hedgehogs farting out lethal spikes and bum scratching galore ! The villains get more and more ridiculous and hilarious and I particularly loved the Scotsmen whose bagpipe playing makes you explode !
This is certainly a book that will appeal to youngsters of both sexes and the fast pace and colourful illustrations will make even reluctant readers enthusiastic. Some of the vocabulary is a bit complicated so it's a great book for parents and kids to share together at bedtime. Giggles guaranteed !
star rating : 4/5
RRP : £12.99
for more information : http://www.ramion-books.com/
Editor's information :
ISBN 9780954704667
Story 14 in the Ramion series. 36 full colour Illustrations.
Publishing date: 1 October 2010.
Price £12.99 Hard Back
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I like the balanced way in which you reviewed the book. Helps to build up trust on the part of the reader
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