Member Reviews

Children's books have been 'my thing' for nearly 30 years, and this book is pretty much perfect. It is exactly what schools/libraries/parents and young readers have been waiting for.

Charlie has an incredible knack for writing 'place' and the setting of this book is so well imagined you can feel the humidity, the loaction becomes another character in this book, as I can't imagine it being set anywhere else.

The book has the beneifit of a characters that are boys and girls, meaning it is not a gender specific read, and good for all. Another bonus for this book in a world where books are often aimed at boys OR girls.

There's a great mix of friendship, adventure, humour and heart. There is the issue of native fauma trafficing, but it doesn;t feel like an issues book. It's just a hugely enteratining read that does have an environmental/ethical issue in it, that a reader could explore further if they were interested.

This is the second book about the Sugarcane Kids, and while you don't have to have read book 1 to enjoy this one, I can guarantee anyone who reads this one will wnat to go and read book 1

Was this review helpful?

Cute little book, nice story for younger children but a bit too young for my class unfortunately. I found some of the chapters challenging to read due to the writing style but overall a nice book, lots of positive friendships, caring for animals and fun to be had.

Was this review helpful?

Readers are transported to far North Queensland in this second installment of The Sugarcane Kids. Fun, fast paced and action packed. Can Andy and his friends solve the mystery of missing animals before it's too late? Themes of friendship, right and wrong and endangered animals are explored. It's refreshing to read a well written middle grade novel set so beautifully in Australia.

Was this review helpful?

My daughter checked out of this read pretty quickly, but she was outside the target audience. Recommend minimum age 6.
After she checked out, though, I skimmed the remainder of the book. I was pleased with what I read. The story was well written, age appropriate, and very humorous. All in all it was quite a cute read and one we will probably revisit when my daughter gets a bit older.

Was this review helpful?

This was a super cute fun read. My 6 year old was fully immersed in the story and was deeply invested in the characters. I look forward to circling back to book one and reading it with my kids!

Was this review helpful?

Cute story told in the present tense, whose variety of quirky characters will have you guessing to the end.
The writing is rich in figurative language and tidbits of information about a variety of topics, which is at times distracting, but may ultimately be endearing to young readers.
I wish there was more time given to character development for the main protagonists as the story develops.
It was difficult to keep up with so many characters being introduced in the first three chapters.
Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC of a book that animal lovers will enjoy.

Was this review helpful?

I usually love kids books but this really wasn't for me. I recognize I'm not the target audience though and I would imagine that kids would find it fun

Was this review helpful?

This new instalment in the Sugarcane Kids (a very inventive name) does not disappoint.
It is at least a 4 star read for K2 and K3 children.
However, my child and I found it to be more of a 3 star read.
Andy and the Sugarcane kids go on adventures to solve the mystery of missing animals.
The pacing is great, the action never fails, and as an adult reader, I appreciate the beautiful descriptions and the relatable prose.
As for the plot, for someone who grew up with the Famous Five, you may be looking for more.

Was this review helpful?

What a FUN book!!!! My kids absolutely had the best time listening to me read this book. They giggled, and just asked "read more mom!!". It was such a fun read. I loved it!

Was this review helpful?