Guest Blogger: Ethan Haruki Pack

I would like to tell you about my three favourite books of all time. They are brilliant, they are fantastic, slightly crazy and I recommend that you read them. Or maybe your kids should read them if you have any.

My third favourite is I am Spartapuss by Robin Price.

Imagine the story of Spartacus but with all the main characters as cats. There are other animals as well. Basically, Spartapuss is a slave working at Spatopia under his master, Clawdius, when he is taken to be a gladiator. He becomes a Fraidipuss which is a gladiator who fights with a net and trident. He manages to save Catligula, the emperor's son, and is given his freedom.

I really like it because it is very funny and is written as a diary so makes it very easy and quick to read. I have now bought the rest of the series which are Catligula, Die Clawdius and Boudicat.

My second favourite is Changeling by Steve Feasey.

Changeling is about a boy called Trey. All of his family have died and he lives in a children's home. One morning he wakes up and his bedroom is a wreck, all his clothes are torn and his favourite sneakers have holes in. Later that day he is visited by Lucien, a strange man who claims that he is Trey's uncle. He tells Trey that he is a werewolf, which explains the messy clothes and bedroom, and that he has to leave at once as his life is in danger.

Together they go on a mission to save Alexa, Lucien's daughter, who has been captured by the baddie Caliban.

My favourite thing about the book is a character called Tom who joins them on their mission. He is human and he swears a lot (usually 'bloody', nothing much ruder than that) and he is very funny.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that Lucien is a vampire.

I am now reading the second book in the series called Changeling: Dark Moon. It is just as good so far.

And finally, my favourite book in all my ten years on this earth is Shadowmagic by John Lenahan.

Conor opens his front door one day to find Celtic warriors on horseback who try to kill him. They don't manage to do that but they do capture him and his father. They are transported from modern America to the mythical Irish land of Tir Na Nog where Conor discovers that he isn't an ordinary teenager after all.

He is soon on the run and makes friends with an imp, a banshee the beautiful, but feisty, princess Essa. Together they embark upon an epic quest to save The Land from the evil Cialte.

Shadowmagic is hilarious and I was laughing out loud a lot. I love magic and there is a lot in  this book. It was really exciting when my dad read it to me but it was even more exciting when I read it to myself recently.

I am 10 years old. If you have kids from about 9 to 13, especially boys, then I reckon they will love these books as much as I do.

P.S. All of these book I have read this year.

Comments

[Caroline]

Thanks Ethan, great reviews! I'll be sure to check these out for my boys.

[Darren Craske]

Good stuff, Ethan. I'd not heard of Spartapuss before and on your recommendation I might just invest in it for my little bairns.

[Georgie]

Thanks so much for these recommendations. I've forwarded them on to a 10 year old I know, via his mum. Spartapuss sounds so good I'm going to buy it for myself and I'm, er, 42.

[sarah]

Ethan, you write these reviews so well! I think you will write your own book one day.

I am going to read Shadowmagic now. It sounds just like my kind of thing.

[Maria]

Ethan, what fine reviews! I have read ShadowMagic by John Lenahan and I agree with you. It is a wonderful, magical journey. I enjoyed it very much. You have good taste!!!!

Maria

[Steve Feasey]

Ethan,
Thank you for picking Changeling as one of your top reads. I was over the moon when I saw it on the blog.

You clearly have impeccable taste, young sir. :P

Steve Feasey

[Stephanie]

Thank you, Ethan. I'm always looking for recommendations - often the things I enjoy most are the things I'd never think to pick up.

Right, I'm off to Amazon.

Stephanie x

PS Have you read the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathon Stroud? They are worth a look.

[Annabel]

Thank you Ethan, fab reviews. I think my daughter Juliet who's nearly 9 may like the Spartapuss books as we love cats and Ancient Rome. Shadowmagic also sounds wonderful - I think I'd like to read it myself.
Annabel

[Marie]

I reckon Ethan would love The Hounds of the Morrigan, which was one of my favourite books for years when I was a kid. You'd enjoy reading it out loud too, Scott. I think it might be out of print, but there are some cheapies on Amazon -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hounds-Morrigan-Pat-OShea/dp/0192750682

[Mark Robson]

Great reviews, Ethan. If you enjoyed Shadowmagic so much, then you really must check out Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan as well. The humour and pace are similar. The first book in the series is Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. Chapter 1 is entitled 'The Day I Accidently Vapourised my Maths Teacher.' Wish I'd written it!

[Sam Newman]

Fab reviews! Will pass on to my bookworms (son 11, daughter 13).

Have you read "Hunger Games"? Recommended to me by someone with an 11yr old son as "unputdownable" - my daughter had read it (twice) within a week of me giving it to her, and took it on holiday to read again...

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1299040351]

Great reviews Ethan! (And I would have said that even if Shadowmagic didn't make the cut.) Thanks for the kind words.

[Pete]

I was fortunate enough to have read a draft copy of Shadowland nearly four years ago and it was brilliant. So pleased it is now out there forall to enjoy.