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protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
I did enjoy this book, though at times it might have gone on too long. The characters are immediately lovable and the setting is one of a kind, which is always appreciated, especially in a book based in the real world. I liked the infusion of great pieces of art into the story and the way the paintings changed different people in unique ways. A pleasant read that genuinely made me happy.
storywarden's review
5.0
Well that makes 2 really excellent audiobooks in a row! This was really fantastic and I think I can say with certainty that the performance of the narrator definitely enhanced the story and not just because I'm a sucker for accents. While the Welsh accent was, in fact, really fun to listen to, the pacing and interpretation allowed me to really enjoy Dylan's point of view.
The story itself is great, but I feel all of the blurbs that I've read don't really do it justice. Yes, it's about a boy that is now the "man of the house" but that's not really a strongly stressed concept. Sure, there's an art heist, but it's not the meat of the story. It's really about a boy who loves his family and his town and even though he's the only boy left in it and he has no one to play football with. It's his love of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that sets up the initial misunderstanding with Mr. Lester, the art guy, for obvious reasons. (If you don't know the names of the Turtles, I can't help you.) The way his family pulls together to try and keep the family business afloat happens effortlessly without feeling "teach-y" or even heavy. You know that the business is in trouble but it never feels dire thanks to Dylan's light and lively voice (enhanced, again, by the voice of the narrator).
I will definitely recommend this to my students who frequent the audiobook shelf.
The story itself is great, but I feel all of the blurbs that I've read don't really do it justice. Yes, it's about a boy that is now the "man of the house" but that's not really a strongly stressed concept. Sure, there's an art heist, but it's not the meat of the story. It's really about a boy who loves his family and his town and even though he's the only boy left in it and he has no one to play football with. It's his love of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that sets up the initial misunderstanding with Mr. Lester, the art guy, for obvious reasons. (If you don't know the names of the Turtles, I can't help you.) The way his family pulls together to try and keep the family business afloat happens effortlessly without feeling "teach-y" or even heavy. You know that the business is in trouble but it never feels dire thanks to Dylan's light and lively voice (enhanced, again, by the voice of the narrator).
I will definitely recommend this to my students who frequent the audiobook shelf.
librariandest's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic audiobook! I recently read [b:Cosmic|1999660|Cosmic|Frank Cottrell Boyce|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5194ZnLdSjL._SL75_.jpg|2256869] and loved it, so I thought I should start in on some of Cottrell Boyce's other books. This was, as expected, completely great, and I'm so glad I got the audio version of this because the narrator was amazing.
So the story follows narrator Dylan's family. They own a petrol station in a tiny town somewhere in Wales called Manod. Life in Manod is disrupted when the nearby hollowed-out mountain becomes a storage site for famous works of art.
No plot description can convey how wonderfully silly and clever this book is, so let me just throw out some key words: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, market research, perfect crimes, Vincent Van Gogh, maximum speed 120 MPH.
So the story follows narrator Dylan's family. They own a petrol station in a tiny town somewhere in Wales called Manod. Life in Manod is disrupted when the nearby hollowed-out mountain becomes a storage site for famous works of art.
No plot description can convey how wonderfully silly and clever this book is, so let me just throw out some key words: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, market research, perfect crimes, Vincent Van Gogh, maximum speed 120 MPH.
nunmalich's review against another edition
3.0
Ich hab ziemlich lange gebraucht um dieses Buch zu lesen, irgendwie hat es mich nicht so richtig gefesselt, auch wenn es eigentlich eine ziemlich süße Geschichte war.
lilywearden's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
turrean's review against another edition
5.0
A charmer! Lovely story about how exposure to great art changes the lives of the people in a small Welsh town.
ricefun's review against another edition
5.0
Easily a favorite children's story from the first chapter! Dylan is the only boy left in his entire Welsh village - so he can't look forward to a proper game of football until his baby brother Max turns about 7. In the interim, he mistakenly becomes exposed to priceless works of art being stored in the local mountain for safekeeping by the National Gallery in London. Through mix-ups involving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the insurance value on a Mini Cooper, and a piece of art missing from the gallery collection since WWII, the small village is exposed to classic paintings that remind them of relationships, beauty and creativity long-berried in their slate-grey town. I loved every page of this book, and see why it has garnered so many awards and attention. The BBC adaptation of the story is delightful as well!
annarose_x's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5