Spacemice: Alien Escape

Spacemice: Alien Escape by Geronimo Stilton(Scholastic Inc)

PBRRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0 545-64650-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Geronimo Stiltonix is a spacemouse. He is the captain of the space ship MouseStar 1. Unfortunately MouseStar 1 is in danger of exploding and Geronimo and his space crew need to track down a rare element, tetrastellium, in order to replace the engine's batteries.

This mission seems to be made easier with the help of a friendly bunch of aliens, but nothing ever quite runs smoothly for the slightly accident-prone mouse Geronimo. Especially when Grandfather William is breathing down his neck.

Geronimo Stiltonix is the Geronimo Stilton of a parallel universe. His friends and family all travel the wide expanse of space with him aboard MouseStar 1. Benjamin, Trap, Thea and even Professor Greenfur share the new adventures in Stilton's Spacemice Series.

Like previous Geronimo Stilton titles, Alien Escape is filled with cheese puns, fun word play and lively text, with full colour illustration on every page. The humour is well suited to lower primary readers and there are plenty of titles to keep Geronimo fans happy.

The Hunt for the Golden Book

The Hunt for the Golden Book by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Inc)

HB RRP $15.99

ISBN 978-0 545-64649-9

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Geronimo Stilton is the editor of The Rodent's Gazette in New Mouse City. He loves his job, but what he loves even more is writing adventure stories. Unfortunately, when it comes to the crunch, he is a bit of a scaredy-mouse but luckily he always has plenty of friends and family to help out.

In The Hunt for the Golden Book, Geronimo's passions collide when Grandfather William decides there needs to be a huge party to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Geronimo's first published book. And furthermore, Grandfather William wants Geronimo to write a new book especially for the occasion.

As with Geronimo's previous adventures, this does not turn out to be as simple as it may seem and soon Geronimo and his friends are racing across the country to recover a laptop and discover a saboteur.

In this special hardcover edition is a bonus story. A mini mystery called The Lake Monster. In this story Geronimo, with the help of Thea, Benjamin, Bugsy and the delightful Petunia Pretty Paws, is on the hunt for a photo of the Lake Monster for his newspaper. He must out scoop his number one enemy Sally Ratmousen, editor of the Daily Rat.

Geronimo discovers there is something decidedly fishy going on in the lake and clues left in many chapters mean readers can be involved in solving this mystery.

As always Geronimo Stilton books are an amusing read. Colourful pictures and text, short chapters, hidden clues, and lots of crazy word play and slapstick comedy make this series a great one for reluctant readers and younger readers who want a bit of light relief. It’s a book they can read quickly and have fun with. There are so many to choose from as well, in many different variations: Thea Stilton books, Cavemice, the fantasy series and the newly released Spacemice.

Suitable for six year olds and older there is a book for every taste.

Cavemice: Watch Your Tail!

Cavemice: Watch Your Tail! by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Inc)

PB RRP $12.99

ISBN 978-0-545-44775-1

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

When Old Mouse City is struck down by a mysterious illness it is up to a (reluctantly) brave mouse, Geronimo Stiltonoot, to save the day. This brave mouse is the prehistoric ancestor of Geronimo Stilton who many readers know today through his heroic exploits.

Stiltonoot and his sidekick Trap, dodge meteorites, volcanoes and were-bats, as they try to follow Sharman Bluster's map and hurry to complete their dangerous mission. But what are the shady Club Brother's up to and how did they get to the Cave of Memories so quickly? Is there a short cut?

Geronimo Stilton books are very popular among the mid primary school readers. Full of humour, word play, fabulous pictures and plots and schemes galore, the scaredy-mouse usually ends up in some very precarious positions before saving the day and emerging a hero. There are always great maps, and this book a couple of wonderful ones tracing Stiltonoot's journey and showing the interior of the Cave of Memories (along the lines of the interior of pyramids with all the different chambers).

Both illustrations and text are very funny and Watch Your Tail! is an entertaining, absorbing and quick read which will be enjoyed by many.

Watch Your Tail! is the second title in Geronimo’s spin off Cavemice series. It offers a whole new array of disaster possibilities for his ancient ancestor, a fellow scaredy mouse, to encounter.

Rumble in the Jungle

Rumble in the Jungle by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Inc)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0-545-48193-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Geronimo Stilton is a calm peaceful rodent. His Mousebook page is full of posts about books and antique cheese rinds, along with photos of himself in elegant jackets sitting in his office. And this is just how Geronimo, editor of the Rodent’s Gazette in New Mouse City, likes his life to be.

Unfortunately, his friend Bruce Hyena thinks Geronimo needs more exciting and adventurous photos on Mousebook. Bruce arranges two friends, Wild Willie and Maya, to whisk Geronimo off to experience some adventure (and get some good snapshots of course). But when they land in Brazil, Wild Willie and Maya disappear, leaving Geronimo, self confessed scaredy-mouse, to negotiate the wild country himself in search of the two lost mice.

All the books in the Geronimo series are action packed adventures, filled with colour illustrations, fun facts (in this case on Brazil, the people, culture and language) and humorous word play. Geronimo is a likeable mouse who finds himself in situations beyond his control. He pushes back his fears and carries on regardless, usually winding up the hero.

This a fun series for the early primary age and older reluctant readers.

Mouse in Space!

Mouse in Space! by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Press)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0-545-48191-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

A wave of burglaries has swept over Mouse City and frightened mice are turning to Safe Squeak antitheft systems to protect themselves. Unfortunately, as Geronimo Stilton, editor of The Rodent’s Gazette discovers, these security camera are creating an even bigger danger to Mouse City and its rodents.

Once again, it is up to Stilton to join forces with Kornelius von Kickpaw, 00K, secret agent for the government of Mouse Island, and the beautiful and charming 00V, to save their city from the evil Dr Wicked. This time Geronimo’s tasks involve intensive astronaut training and then a fur-raising shuttle flight to outer space. Geronimo is not sure if he is up for this mission.

The Geronimo Stilton series is a great series for the lower to mid primary ages. Full of colour illustrations, jokes, word play and danger, and sprinkled with fabulous spy gadgets and facts about space, Mouse in Space is a fun addition to the series.

Mouse in Space is an entertaining read and will appeal to both boys and girls. There is also plenty of variety to keep readers engaged within the wider series – from books narrated by Geronimo or his sister Thea, to their caveman ancestors, and also a fantasy series and graphic novels.

Cavemice: The Stone of Fire

Cavemice: The Stone of Fire by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Inc)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0-545-44774-4
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Newspaper men have been in Geronimo Stilton’s family for a long time. Geronimo learns this when he discovers an ancient book, carved into stone, by his ancestor Geronimo Stiltonoot who ran the stone newspaper in Old Mouse City. By publishing the ancient story, The Stone of Fire, Geronimo has enabled the whole world to read about Stiltonoot’s exploits. These prehistoric adventures will become a new series, Cavemice, featuring Stiltonoot, along with his family and close friend Hercule Poirat as they solve mysteries in the Stone Age.

The Stone of Fire is a precious artefact which has been stolen from the mouseum; Stiltonoot and Poirat suspect the culprits to be Tiger Khan and his ferocious squad of Sabre-Toothed Tigers. The trouble is, Stiltonoot is a self confessed scaredy-mouse and of all the many ways to die in prehistoric times, Tiger Khan is near the top of the list. Luckily, Stiltonoot adjusts his will every morning.

Like the books in the Geronimo Stilton and Thea Stilton Series’, The Stone of Fire is fun to read. It is full of humour, wordplay and full colour illustrations including plenty of maps. There is a cavemouse recipe to try out – Meatballs in Primordial Soup – and an explanation of prehistoric table manners with the caution For Cavemice Only.

Readers from seven to ten years old, as well as some older reluctant readers will enjoy this story. Look out for Watch Your Tail, the next in the series.

Thea Stilton and the Mystery on the Orient Express

Thea Stilton and the Mystery on the Orient Express by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Inc)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0-545-34105-9
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Thea is Geronimo Stilton’s sister, and a special correspondent for The Rodent’s Gazette. In The Mystery on the Orient Express, Thea tells the story of a group of young students - Nicky, Colette, Pamela, Paulina and Violet - and their adventure on that famous train.

Accompanying a precious wedding gown, (the historic Veil of Light being returned to its country of origin), the five mouselets mix with the rich and famous on a 1920’s styled journey. As the train makes its way from Paris to Istanbul they manage to foil the infamous cat burglar in his attempt to steal this beautiful treasure.

Being a reporter, Thea likes the facts and sprinkles interesting research throughout the story; about the Orient Express, holograms, Transylvania, and other aspects important to the narration.

Just as in Geronimo Stilton adventures, this tale is full of mice and cheese puns, outrageous plots, humour, clues, red herrings and wonderfully flowery language. ‘In the twitch of a whisker, the Thea Sisters had transformed themselves from modern day mouselets into roaring rodents from the 1920s.’

The large and colourful font and illustrations make it a fun and easy read for those moving from early readers to chapter books.

The Enormouse Pearl Heist

The Enormouse Pearl Heist by Geronimo Stilton (Scholastic Inc)
PB RRP $12.99
ISBN 978-0-545– 34103-5
Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

Geronimo Stilton, intrepid editor of The Rodent’s Gazette, doesn’t like to fly, is scared to swim in the ocean and definitely does not want to learn to scuba dive. It doesn’t take much, however, to be persuaded to holiday on Shell Island. He only needs to be asked ... by Petunia Pretty Paws, a mouse he has a total crush on.

While learning to scuba dive, Geronimo stumbles on an enormous oyster. Afraid less scrupulous mice may try to steal it for the pearl within, Geronimo and Petunia hatch a plan to get it back to the New Mouse City Aquarium. But they may just be too late!

There is more to The Enormouse Pearl Heist than I first expected. I enjoyed the humorous word play throughout – they fly out over the South Mousific Ocean – and use inventive expletives such as ‘sizzling Swiss bits!’ and my personal favourite ‘mouldy mozzarella!’

Geronimo Stilton is a reporter who has a nose for adventure and trouble. The story echoes the style of the hardboiled gumshoe detectives, but for younger audiences. Stilton is a klutz and unlucky, but somehow he eventually stumbles onto the right answer.

Clues throughout help the reader to figure out what is going on. These rely on close inspection of the full colour pictures which are on every page. Readers could spend a long time looking at the illustration of the editorial staff at the Gazette and still not notice everything that’s going on in the picture.

In the end pages are an elaborate plan of the Gazette, a map of New Mouse City, and a map of Mouse Island. Places on these maps have fabulous names such as Goose Bumps Gorge, Rio Mosquito, Cannycat Castle and San Mosquito. These maps are well worth close inspection.
The characters and their names are fun throughout the book - from the supporting cast, Aunt Sweetfur, Bugsy Wugsy and Benjamin, to lesser characters such as the pilot Flash Pirouette and the hotelier Pinch Provolone.

The Enormouse Pearl Heist is perfect for beginning and younger readers. The text is large and broken up, not only by illustrations, but also by the text itself which changes size, colour and typeface. The chapters are short and have headings which reflect the sensationalism of newspaper headlines. It’s An Invasion! A Drowned Rat? Stay Still!

This book is number 51 in the Geronimo Stilton series so there are plenty for a budding young fan to catch up on.