Reviews

More teen reading - I felt this had a good pace and I liked the parallels drawn between the gorilla and the narrator. 4 stars as a kids book, probably more like 3 stars enjoyment from me as a thirty year old woman.

poetskings's review against another edition

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emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

owlbreeze's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

oberonmallory's review against another edition

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emotional funny informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

madisonerasmus's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

piedwarbler's review against another edition

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5.0

A future classic, this is an intense and beautifully plotted story of an angry boy, Joseph, who’s been sent to stay with Mrs Farrelly during the war. It’s 1941. The bombs are falling. Joseph has to go to school with people he doesn’t know, who cruelly bully him for his dyslexia. Mrs F runs the town zoo. All that’s left are a couple of starving wolves and a silverback gorilla, Adonis. Mrs F takes a rifle to the zoo every time the air raid siren sounds. But why? Joseph sets out to find out the answer to this question, and in doing so discovers a lot about himself, love, loss, and war.
The story is based on a true account of war, and the author’s experience of working with young people results in the deep truths resting inside the story.
Make sure you have a box of tissues at the ready.
A great class reader for year 5, 6 or even year 7. Makes me wish I was still teaching. I would love to share this with a class of young people.

alongreader's review against another edition

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4.0

This is the second book I've read recently about the Blitz of WWII. Each has given me some information I didn't have before, information that makes perfect sense when you think about it but had just never occurred to me before. I won't spoil this book by telling you what the information was, but it's jaw dropping.

Phil handles Joseph and his issues very well. Joseph is clearly unhappy and lashing out, and trying to push others away so that they don't get close and then leave. They're both so well drawn here you can feel your heart break as Mrs F seems to know the right way to start breaking through his walls without really trying. I cheered during a certain scene I won't spoil here...

I also cried at certain spots, as I think will a lot of readers! It's incredible to think of what people went through back then, and how matter of factly they dealt with it all. It's good for kids to read about that kind of thing.

This is an amazing read I really enjoyed, and I think it's going to do really well.

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