Children's Book Review - The White Harlequin by Daphne Tzamali-Yakinthou

 

At midnight every night, a small door in the grandfather's clock opens, and magical creatures reveal themselves. They put on a show for one another. Tonight the noise awakens Sugarcandy, the white harlequin. Sugarcandy's house is filled with amazing things; he has a rainbow pudding cooking, his seats are made of Turkish delight, and the dining table is a giant red mushroom. Usually, the clock would strike midnight, and the magic would begin and continue until dawn.

Tonight Sugarcandy's best friend, Spot the donkeytaur, calls to tell Sugarcandy that the storm maidens and wind midwives have arrived. They are here to weave deep magic, which has never happened in the land of charms and reflections. The friends are excited to witness a spectacle they have never seen before. Suddenly everyone is horrified to see that a cyclone is draining all the light from the stars, and the world becomes the darkest it has ever been. What are the peculiar snowmen guarding? Who or what is the night sybil, and why do the two friends go to see it? What is the lullaby of strange things? Read The White Harlequin by Daphne Tzamali-Yakin to get the answers to these questions.

I found it confusing how Sugarcandy, the white harlequin, was referred to by several different names, either Sugarcandy, harlequin, or white harlequin. I feel Daphne Tzamali-Yakin should have used a name consistently throughout the book, but this was my only criticism of The White Harlequin.

I loved page four which had a barrage of introductions to all the fantastic magical creatures entering the room and descriptions of their unique attributes. Just as all the madness and mayhem began to confuse my brain Daphne Tzamali-Yakin writes, 'But let's not get ahead of ourselves! Everything will be revealed in its own good time.' This phrase was perfectly crafted and calmed everything down, ready for the next chapter. I also really enjoyed the unique colorful pictures in The White Harlequin, which reminded me of stained glass windows.

I want to rate The White Harlequin by Daphne Tzamali-Yakin 5 out of 5 stars. It conjures up a kaleidoscope of magic, color, and excitement. Adults and children would equally enjoy this beautiful fantasy story. Older children would enjoy reading it to themselves, and parents would enjoy reading it to younger children. All would love the wonderfully colorful illustrations. The story is beautifully written and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next. There were a few spelling and grammar errors, but they did not spoil the flow of the story enough to reduce the score.

I want to thank Daphne Tzamali-Yakinthou for a free copy of The White Harlequin in exchange for my honest and impartial review. You can also see my reviews here http://onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tara-d-morgan.html

Book Review - Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer

Island Games is the debut novel from 12-year-old Caleb J. Boyer. The story introduces the reader to Matthew and Ryan, best friends, who wake up to find themselves washed up onto the shore of an island with a massive volcano. Neither of the boys can remember how they got there. The last thing the boys remember is playing video games. They wonder whether they have been kidnapped or maybe are in a TV reality show. They are also distraught that their families will look for them and not know where to look. Realizing that they are entirely alone, they set about looking after themselves. Ahead of them, they fight for survival, overcoming the many twists and turns the island has to offer. Ryan and Matthew must be clever and resilient and work together to overcome the many challenges. This fantasy adventure will test their friendship and show them the important things in life.

Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer is a quick and easy read but has repetitive language in places and could do with more description and some more work on the dialogue as this is the weakest part of the book. In my opinion, this would make the story even more interesting to read. I was not too fond of the ending, which would have been perfect if there was a sequel, but as it is, this book's ending is unsatisfying and leaves the reader with too many questions unanswered. Some more resolution about why the boys were on the island would have given more substance to the story.

Although I am not the target audience, I appreciated the theme of this book which focuses on friendship and staying positive. I enjoyed getting the boy's two different points of view throughout, which added depth and insight to this book, and I got to know both characters and their different feelings well. I loved reading the story through their innocent eyes as they question their lives and choices. I also liked the idea of the boys solving puzzles to get resources and the lessons learned about the importance of teamwork.

I recommend Island Games to children between 10 and 13 who enjoy fun and entertaining books about challenges, mysteries, and fantasy adventure.

I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. The editing was excellent, and the score is due to the naivety of the writing, the work needed on the dialogue, and the unsatisfactory ending.

Thank you to Caleb J. Boyer for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.