Rachel Anderson has written more than 30 books
for children of all ages and is known for the way she tackles life's
difficult themes, with a skillful blend of humour and sensitivity.
Having lived in France and Scotland, she now
spends most of her time with her family in north Norfolk, which
includes two goldfish!
Red Moon is published in April 2006 and tells
the story of Hamish - a sensible boy whose father is murdered, whose
mother is mugged and he has to face the riots on the streets of
Paris.
Hamish is a victim of the world鈥檚 troubles,
until he meets another victim... who needs his help.
Fourteen-year-old Tom jumped at the chance to
review Red Moon, this is what he had to say:
Red moon, well what can I say! It makes Harry Potter
look like a 50p sofa being sold in Poundland! You can see that I
meant it and that I intend to stick to my decision.
Between you and me, Rachel Anderson the local Norfolk
land girl who wrote this book, keeps the momentum at an extremely
good pace. But the descriptive and passive writing somewhat differs
from the actual pace.
Because of the description you are left with cliffhangers.
Every time I put the book down I wanted to pick it up and read it
again.
The imagery used also is very good.
People may think you can't imagine books - well,
just think if there's a power cut, you will look at a blank television
screen. Now just imagine a program like the Simpson's coming alive
on the screen.
Red moon is a top-notch book and I certainly recommend
it to anyone with a vast empty mind who needs to fill it with anything
possible.
As you turn to the first page, Hamish, the young
lad in the story, is walking to school through an alleyway.
A group then storms in front of him, overtaking
him like cars on the M25 on a Saturday afternoon. Hamish is
curious because he sees this atrocious group of people raiding the
butchers shop.
So Hamish, being the kind and caring lad he is,
enters the shop. Mr Joel, the shop owner
says that they are after Turks.
The scene quickly changes to a school scene where
pupils and teachers live in harmony - yeah right!
Hamish is also stuck with a dilemma. He's stuck
with a stuck-up nosed temporary teacher who is prompt and will not
accept homework even if it is on time.
His actual teacher is called Mrs Florence, NOT
Nightingale for those interested.
Hamish is a lonely boy who likes to play by himself.
He will not play with just anyone - a bit like myself I think.
Like me, he ignores the ladies.
I mean half-the-time I don't know what they are
saying and there are those days when you wished you hadn't gone
shopping with them!
.. but keeping to the subject - Mrs Florence has
decided to put Hamish with a buddy, but this ends in a two second
conversation which starts with 'bit me', or was it?
Hamish becomes curious about his family's past.
He lives with his mother Anne Marie and is curious about his father.
We all know his father Douglas works with Hamish's
older brother, in the land of the home and the brave. A place where
they wear kilts. We shall never find out what's underneath them
and where they have bagpipes!
So Hamish trots off to Scotland and you might
think that is the end - but then Hamish is sent to France with his
mother, to a center where scholars take degrees as his mother wishes
to have higher learning.
Hamish's life is about to change... but that's
my time to exit and leave you to find out why his life changes.
Read this book, buy it, bug your parents till they
switch into overdrive.
Adios amigos.
Tom
Red Moon is published by Hodder Children's Book,
April 2006
Once you've read the book, add your comments
about Red Moon here.
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Rubbish book.All the characters are inconsistant, and the ending is rubbish as well.No real story, just a load of "and then..." and "Then he...".I've read better billiboards. Stuart Page, Bucks.
very good book, top notch i really enjoyed reading the review thanks tom for recommending it to us.
Malvyn Brooker, Frettenham
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