Book Review 95
Name Of The Book : The Song From Somewhere Else
Author : A. F. Harrold (illustrated by Levi Pinfold)
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Year : 2017
Category : Children's Fiction
Review :
Frank thought her summer couldn’t get any worse - until big, weird, smelly Nick Underbridge rescues her from a bully, and she winds up at his house. Frank quickly realizes there’s more to Nick than meets the eye. When she’s at his house, she hears the strangest, most beautiful music, music which leads her to a mysterious, hidden door. Beyond the door are amazing creatures that she never even dreamed could be real. For the first time in forever, Frank feels happy . . . and she and Nick start to become friends. But Nick’s incredible secrets are also accompanied by great danger. Frank must figure out how to help her new friend, the same way that he has helped her. Paired with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations from Levi Pinfold, acclaimed author A. F. Harrold weaves a powerful story about unlikely friendship, strange magic, and keeping the shadows at bay.
The name of this book is quite intriguing. I was curious to understand the context of the name and that made me pick up this book. I had read excellent reviews about this book and was quite excited. The book begins with ‘The Stolen Orange’ by Brian Patten which is a lovely poem. Frank is the young female protagonist who is bullied on the playground by a group of boys. She loses her cat named ‘Quintilius Minimus’ and her hunt for the cat marks the beginning of a great adventure. Nick is the misfit of their class; a boy who is too tall for his age and is usually avoided by all. Frank gets saved by Nick from the bullies and she visits his home where she discovers a nefarious secret. Now only she can protect the world from the hands of the evil. The idea of bringing bullying into the picture is great as it is something that is usually not given due importance. Her parents and their reactions to the events that take place in her life were quite realistic. The story in itself cannot be termed as unique; nevertheless, it was interesting. I can’t say that the book was extraordinary maybe because I am not very fond of magical elements and such adventures. I would have preferred a much more everyday realistic scenario with bullies and unusual friendship. The character of Nick is well presented and relatable. The illustrations are excellent but I think they would have been better had they been in colour rather than black and white. This book is great for kids or adults who love magical adventures and science fiction.
Rating : 4/5
Name Of The Book : The Song From Somewhere Else
Author : A. F. Harrold (illustrated by Levi Pinfold)
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Year : 2017
Category : Children's Fiction
Review :
Frank thought her summer couldn’t get any worse - until big, weird, smelly Nick Underbridge rescues her from a bully, and she winds up at his house. Frank quickly realizes there’s more to Nick than meets the eye. When she’s at his house, she hears the strangest, most beautiful music, music which leads her to a mysterious, hidden door. Beyond the door are amazing creatures that she never even dreamed could be real. For the first time in forever, Frank feels happy . . . and she and Nick start to become friends. But Nick’s incredible secrets are also accompanied by great danger. Frank must figure out how to help her new friend, the same way that he has helped her. Paired with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations from Levi Pinfold, acclaimed author A. F. Harrold weaves a powerful story about unlikely friendship, strange magic, and keeping the shadows at bay.
The name of this book is quite intriguing. I was curious to understand the context of the name and that made me pick up this book. I had read excellent reviews about this book and was quite excited. The book begins with ‘The Stolen Orange’ by Brian Patten which is a lovely poem. Frank is the young female protagonist who is bullied on the playground by a group of boys. She loses her cat named ‘Quintilius Minimus’ and her hunt for the cat marks the beginning of a great adventure. Nick is the misfit of their class; a boy who is too tall for his age and is usually avoided by all. Frank gets saved by Nick from the bullies and she visits his home where she discovers a nefarious secret. Now only she can protect the world from the hands of the evil. The idea of bringing bullying into the picture is great as it is something that is usually not given due importance. Her parents and their reactions to the events that take place in her life were quite realistic. The story in itself cannot be termed as unique; nevertheless, it was interesting. I can’t say that the book was extraordinary maybe because I am not very fond of magical elements and such adventures. I would have preferred a much more everyday realistic scenario with bullies and unusual friendship. The character of Nick is well presented and relatable. The illustrations are excellent but I think they would have been better had they been in colour rather than black and white. This book is great for kids or adults who love magical adventures and science fiction.
Rating : 4/5