Review: Amazing Blend of Fact & Fiction: Cohesive & Coherent
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 28, 2013
I find it worthy of note that Author Steve Challis writes books based on experience & training in keeping and selling animals. He has written several animal books including 'Tetras',Guinea Pigs; Pictures and Facts', and 'Tetras'. We can rest assured that this author knows his subject matter intimately, and will therefore give insights that are not commonly known.In this book, he has chosen to blend fact & fiction into a cohesive and coherent whole. On the one hand, we get a an amazing adventure story of Scar Tail the Platypus. The name, "Scar" evokes memories of another wonderful story, and is well selected for this tale.On the other hand, the story of two boys is told, with the point of convergence between both stories being the concept of overcoming difficulties. Both the animal and the boys are faced with challenges, allowing the reader to compare and contrast the parallel structure used by the writer to tell this story.On another level, it is well known that boys are reluctant readers, and that in comparison to girls, usually are much less likely to be good readers. This book, I believe, will be especially attractive to boys. I would therefore enthusiastically recommend anyone to buy this book who has or knows of boys (girls also) who don't like to read. This book will go a long way towards converting children into lifelong readers, which will bring enormous personal benefits for the children. This book is a good purchase that you will not regret having made.Reviewed by Thomas Jerome BakerAuthor ofBoudicca: Her Story