We won an island - review
They always say, write about what you know and love...
Charlotte is obviously a multi tasker and some...
She throws everything into this adorable book, it is bonkers and yet has a real brilliance too.
It reminds me of the Durrells crossed with The Twits and adds in Summer Fayres and Teen Idols.
It is a fast, funny and fabulous book for anyone 7+
We have a family oblivious to their impending doom, living life in a maelstrom of activity and not paying attention to reality. But, suddenly things happen, they are literally about to be evicted, have no money and days to go...
By sheer fluke, they see an advert about a benevolent billionaire offering his disused Island in Scotland to anyone with a true need, Luna writes a letter and low and behold they receive a phone call saying they have won the Island.
Initially, their parents and indeed her sister, don't want to go, we get the no mobile signals, no friends and no school stories, and the message is... we don't need those things, we need to find them in the right way and at the right time, when it matters.
Soon, they are in Scotland and living in the ramshackle mansion with bats pooing in the kitchen, goats up trees and a partly built aeroplane in the stables. All these pieces make a wonderful jigsaw of this story, full of colour and action and charm, told mostly from the constantly adventurous children and their new found friends in unusual places, like a pub which has cake eating and groceries galore. There is much to praise in the clever layers used in this book, just enough tender touching of nerves without jarring, death of a parent and children are well done, the simple premise of secrets and efforts made to achieve the impossible are awesome.
A Festival on a run down Island with a Geriatric Rock Band, a boy band in the making with dreamy fans made on the spot and a sulky singer with a voice like an angel, add an ice cream van that won't go anywhere and goats everywhere and you have this madness of mirth.
Charlotte show us life and all it's complexities in a very simple and stunning way, we have everything thrown at us and told in a seriously compassionate way. The way she adds the recovery from grief and finding the way to cope for all is exquisite. We also learn Yoga and Meditation on the way...
The underlying message about community pulling together and the need to be able to get on with life and others and overcome disasters is great, I'd love to hear the music from the book, it reminds me of the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain and what they do...
A joy of a book, gte reading it and be ready for more from Charlotte, I don't think she'll be a slow writer...
Charlotte is obviously a multi tasker and some...
She throws everything into this adorable book, it is bonkers and yet has a real brilliance too.
It reminds me of the Durrells crossed with The Twits and adds in Summer Fayres and Teen Idols.
It is a fast, funny and fabulous book for anyone 7+
We have a family oblivious to their impending doom, living life in a maelstrom of activity and not paying attention to reality. But, suddenly things happen, they are literally about to be evicted, have no money and days to go...
By sheer fluke, they see an advert about a benevolent billionaire offering his disused Island in Scotland to anyone with a true need, Luna writes a letter and low and behold they receive a phone call saying they have won the Island.
Initially, their parents and indeed her sister, don't want to go, we get the no mobile signals, no friends and no school stories, and the message is... we don't need those things, we need to find them in the right way and at the right time, when it matters.
Soon, they are in Scotland and living in the ramshackle mansion with bats pooing in the kitchen, goats up trees and a partly built aeroplane in the stables. All these pieces make a wonderful jigsaw of this story, full of colour and action and charm, told mostly from the constantly adventurous children and their new found friends in unusual places, like a pub which has cake eating and groceries galore. There is much to praise in the clever layers used in this book, just enough tender touching of nerves without jarring, death of a parent and children are well done, the simple premise of secrets and efforts made to achieve the impossible are awesome.
A Festival on a run down Island with a Geriatric Rock Band, a boy band in the making with dreamy fans made on the spot and a sulky singer with a voice like an angel, add an ice cream van that won't go anywhere and goats everywhere and you have this madness of mirth.
Charlotte show us life and all it's complexities in a very simple and stunning way, we have everything thrown at us and told in a seriously compassionate way. The way she adds the recovery from grief and finding the way to cope for all is exquisite. We also learn Yoga and Meditation on the way...
The underlying message about community pulling together and the need to be able to get on with life and others and overcome disasters is great, I'd love to hear the music from the book, it reminds me of the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain and what they do...
A joy of a book, gte reading it and be ready for more from Charlotte, I don't think she'll be a slow writer...