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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
This was such an imaginative middle grade, exploring the importance of family, believing in yourself and the problems children can face as they grow up and reach new stages in life - all against the backdrop of an imaginary world with a ninja wizard, mermaid witch and a big bad in the shape of a scarecrow with crow's wings. There are dragons, unicorns and fluffy cats that hang out in spiders webs too, just in case the rest wasn't enough for you to be intrigued. This was a lovely adventure story with some great take homes for young readers and it's one that I can see myself returning to many times as an adult. Can't wait for the next installment in the series!
I would describe this book as a cute and nostalgia-inducing middle-grade romp that I definitely recommend for young readers (or readers who are young at heart!). The loveable characters were easy to relate to, especially Arthur, who was so imaginative and hopeful. Their development arcs were ones I have certainly witnessed before in different stories, but they still thrilled me just the same and made me feel warm and happy.
The plot was fast-paced and exciting and I found myself feeling nostalgic for when I played games like Roar as a child. I think this book served as a lovely reminder that you are never too old to dream big, play, or create imaginary worlds and I’m really glad I got to read it!
The plot was fast-paced and exciting and I found myself feeling nostalgic for when I played games like Roar as a child. I think this book served as a lovely reminder that you are never too old to dream big, play, or create imaginary worlds and I’m really glad I got to read it!
I loved this book! I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of fantasy, but especially those who are sceptical or cynical about the genre.
It took me a little while to get into this book, which is why it took me a while to read, but purely because of every time I tried to read it I was preoccupied or busy.
I read the majority of this today on a long train journey and I am so satisfied.
The story is, simply put, about a pair of twins who are on the cusp of 'growing up' - moving to Secondary School - and in doing so starting to grow apart. One wants to be popular, is scared of being shunned by her peers and wants more than anything to leave her childhood behind. The other would rather grow up a little slower, scared of the real world and all its anxieties, he find comfort in his imagination, but also doesn't want to lose his sister.
Together they rediscover a fantasy land that they used to play in as children, have to work as a team and dare to use their imagination in order to save their Grandad from the forces of evil.
The writing is oh so clever and the illustrations are a wonderful addition!
It is a perfect balance of fantasy and action, moral lessons and family. And as it was only published in 2019, all of its 'current' references are perfect for children in school right now to recognise and connect to.
I can't wait for the next instalment to be released in September!
It took me a little while to get into this book, which is why it took me a while to read, but purely because of every time I tried to read it I was preoccupied or busy.
I read the majority of this today on a long train journey and I am so satisfied.
The story is, simply put, about a pair of twins who are on the cusp of 'growing up' - moving to Secondary School - and in doing so starting to grow apart. One wants to be popular, is scared of being shunned by her peers and wants more than anything to leave her childhood behind. The other would rather grow up a little slower, scared of the real world and all its anxieties, he find comfort in his imagination, but also doesn't want to lose his sister.
Together they rediscover a fantasy land that they used to play in as children, have to work as a team and dare to use their imagination in order to save their Grandad from the forces of evil.
The writing is oh so clever and the illustrations are a wonderful addition!
It is a perfect balance of fantasy and action, moral lessons and family. And as it was only published in 2019, all of its 'current' references are perfect for children in school right now to recognise and connect to.
I can't wait for the next instalment to be released in September!
Read this aloud to my son. I think he enjoyed it more than I did - there's lots of good action & adventure & it's a generally good story. But I really didn't like Rose. She's so mean, and whilst she & Arthur do grow close again at the end, I didn't like that she didn't apologise to him for her behaviour. So I couldn't really forgive that.
This was a cute middle grade and I especially loved the illustrations, but it was a bit too much the 'it is summer and we find a new land' trope and nothing else really special. I liked the book, but I don't think I'll be continuing with this series just because it doesn't intrigue me enough. Still cute and wholesome though.
An excellent fantasy novel for confident readers aged 8+ The illustrations add a lovely extra layer of interest and the imaginative, adventurous story will appeal to both boys and girls equally. Looking forward to reading the sequel myself!
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author and Amazon’s Vine Programme. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I’ve read some fantastic children’s fantasy adventure stories recently, but The Land of Roar completely blew me away.
Jenny McLachlan takes some familiar tropes and imagery and infuses them with such imagination and enthusiasm that any children reading will be eagerly searching for their own Roar within seconds of putting the book down. Not only do adult readers get transported to Roar, but the author cleverly invokes memories that will have you soaring back to your own childhood playland.
I was reminded of Narnia (here you go through the campbed, rather than the wardrobe), along with Peter Pan (here they are Lost Girls), Jumanji, Coraline, and many other fantasy adventure stories.
Crowky and his powers are quite genuinely scary (I was unnerved!) and Win, Prosecco, Mitch and the furries are all brilliantly imagined and instantly endearing. Not only that, but the characters are deceptively simple and actually complex: I felt sympathy for the villain, chuckled at the inept wizard and his inability to recognise his own limitations, and so on. Of course, Arthur and Rose are the most complex and empathetic characters as they both struggle with the changes of growing up, growing away, fitting in.
This whole book is a fabulous celebration of the imaginative world of children (the light and the dark elements) and a poignant reflection on what we lose as we grow up and learn to relinquish such fantasies to societal expectations. I am so thankful that Jenny McLachlan clearly resisted this dire fate and allowed us to visit her Land of Roar.
My eyes wander over pathways and streams and mountain passes, and I start to lose myself in this strange place we invented. Then something catches my eye – a flicker of movement, a flash of light – and I find myself staring at the Crow’s Nest. I see something that I missed before. A face is looking out of a window. The face is pale with round eyes and a crooked stitched mouth. It’s a scarecrow, a boy, and I can just make out two wings sprouting from his back.
‘Crowky,’ I say, the name coming easily to my lips. I stare at his black button eyes and his smile seems to stretch.
‘I’d almost forgotten about you,’ I whisper.
– Jenny McLachlan, The Land of Roar
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/the-land-of-roar-jenny-mclachlan/
I’ve read some fantastic children’s fantasy adventure stories recently, but The Land of Roar completely blew me away.
Jenny McLachlan takes some familiar tropes and imagery and infuses them with such imagination and enthusiasm that any children reading will be eagerly searching for their own Roar within seconds of putting the book down. Not only do adult readers get transported to Roar, but the author cleverly invokes memories that will have you soaring back to your own childhood playland.
I was reminded of Narnia (here you go through the campbed, rather than the wardrobe), along with Peter Pan (here they are Lost Girls), Jumanji, Coraline, and many other fantasy adventure stories.
Crowky and his powers are quite genuinely scary (I was unnerved!) and Win, Prosecco, Mitch and the furries are all brilliantly imagined and instantly endearing. Not only that, but the characters are deceptively simple and actually complex: I felt sympathy for the villain, chuckled at the inept wizard and his inability to recognise his own limitations, and so on. Of course, Arthur and Rose are the most complex and empathetic characters as they both struggle with the changes of growing up, growing away, fitting in.
This whole book is a fabulous celebration of the imaginative world of children (the light and the dark elements) and a poignant reflection on what we lose as we grow up and learn to relinquish such fantasies to societal expectations. I am so thankful that Jenny McLachlan clearly resisted this dire fate and allowed us to visit her Land of Roar.
My eyes wander over pathways and streams and mountain passes, and I start to lose myself in this strange place we invented. Then something catches my eye – a flicker of movement, a flash of light – and I find myself staring at the Crow’s Nest. I see something that I missed before. A face is looking out of a window. The face is pale with round eyes and a crooked stitched mouth. It’s a scarecrow, a boy, and I can just make out two wings sprouting from his back.
‘Crowky,’ I say, the name coming easily to my lips. I stare at his black button eyes and his smile seems to stretch.
‘I’d almost forgotten about you,’ I whisper.
– Jenny McLachlan, The Land of Roar
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/the-land-of-roar-jenny-mclachlan/