Karl's Reading List

Published by Wordsworth Editions Limited: Hertfordshire, 1996 (1994). First published 1858. Book 3 in 'The Chronicles of Barsetshire.' Preceded by ' Barchester Tower. ' Followed by 'Framley Parsonage.' The third Barsetshire book I've read, and the third in the series - meaning I've finally started going in correct chronological order! Doctor Thorne moves the focus of the series from the town of Barchester to nearby Greshambury, home of the Gresham family. Well-off and slightly snooty, the Greshams do however make room in their household for Mary Thorne, the niece of the titular Dr Thorne, and allow her to grow up with their children. Frank Gresham - the son and heir of the family - develops a crush on Mary, and gushes out an over-the-top proposal to her in a beautifully dramatic scene; Trollope is at his most comical in moments like this. However, Mary is from an unknown background, and (more shockingly) is poor(!) and Frank must marry rich in order to s...

Published as an ebook by Shadow Dragon Press: Tijeras, New Mexico, 2026. Comedy is hard to write. What seems hilarious to one person can come across as just-plain-dumb or confusing to another.  Or, just not that funny. Dr Gnoll is meant to be a comedy. It is loosely a parody of James Bond, particularly 'Dr No.' It is also billed as a humour-filled parody of "everything from spy movies, role-playing games, and video games." I appreciate what the authors are intending to do here. I just didn't find it that funny. The 'humour' comes from wordplay (such as Dr Gnoll being a gnoll, James Bond's Q becoming "Kew", and the lead female being called Maxine Charisma), some innuendo (particularly regarding the MacGuffin rod that Dr Gnoll is after, and the way it is described once Dr Gnoll has it), and then very out-of-place references to the fictionality of the world being described.  This latter element is a little jarring at times, as it is referenced s...

We have been living in my parents' house for two months now, and they have a lot of picture books here. As a result, we have been reading a lot of new stories to Ezekiel, and it feels only right that I should do another picture-book entry to acknowledge some of them. Keeping the list to only ten has been tricky, particularly as I also wanted to include two books we read when we went to a friend's bach at the lake a few months ago. Aside from those two, I have limited myself to books that belong to my parents, knowing that the ones we own will still be with us the next time I do one of these. As is now usual, each of these books has their own page, meaning that you can easily skip all ten if you want to just move on to the next 'proper' book on my list. Karl's List First Flight ; Good Night, Alice and Other Stories ; Skarloey ; Swiggo ; Minny Car Elise's List Just Me and My Puppy ; Dogs ; Who's Driving? ; Mosan Mouse ; I've Lost My Kisses Previous Book ~...

Published by Macmillan Children's Books: London, 2012 (2009). A fun book about dogs, opening with "I love dogs." After this the book goes through, giving different types of dogs from "stroppy dogs and soppy dogs" to "Scruffy and smart dogs" among others. The book then ends with the twist that it is being narrated by a cat, which means that the dog "that I love best? Let's see... ...is any dog that won't chase me!" The illustrations in this book are well drawn, the types of dogs are well varied, and the twist of having the narrator be a cat is a fun joke at the end. With Ezekiel now more into dogs, this book and Just Me and My Puppy are definite favourites. Karl's List First Flight ; Good Night, Alice and Other Stories ; Skarloey ; Swiggo ; Minny Car Elise's List Just Me and My Puppy ; Dogs ; Who's Driving? ; Mosan Mouse ; I've Lost My Kisses Previous Book ~ Next Book (Ezekiel Books) Previous Book ~ Next Book

Published by Granada Publishing Limited/Dragon Books: London, Toronto, Sydney, New York, 1980. Part of the 'A. Mazing Monsters' series. Living at my parents' house for a season means that some of the books here are ones I remember from my childhood. Swiggo is one of these (as is Minny Car ). The A. Mazing Monsters series stars Mr A. Mazing, a monster expert, who encounters a different monster in each book, and must solve whatever problems arise from the monster's quirks. The monster Swiggo, which looks like a variation on a mermaid, starts off being caught by Mr A. Mazing in a net, and brought home. Swiggo's issue is that he drinks a lot of water, and as he drinks, he grows. Soon he has outgrown a fish tank, an aquarium, a pond and then is beginning to drain the Atlantic Ocean! In this story, the problem is eventually solved when Swiggo is reunited with his parents, learns about the blowhole on the back of his head, and squirts all the water back out! Fun, silly, an...

Published by Western Publishing Company, Inc./A Golden Book: New York, 1985. This 'Little Critter' book tells the story of the titular Little Critter swapping a baseball glove for a puppy, and the subsequent ways in which he plays with and 'trains' his pet. Little Critter books always have an element of humour in the drawings, even when the story is being told matter-of-fact, and this exists in Just Me and My Puppy as well. As an example, on one page the narration states "My puppy is a big help around the house. He's a good guard dog." Meanwhile, the picture shows Little Critter's mother pulling the puppy away from the mailman, who has fallen on the ground, with letters everywhere. As Elise observed, the fact that the mailman is an anthropomorphic dog adds another level to the humour. Just Me and My Puppy is sweet-natured, fun, and light, with great illustrations. And it talks about dogs, a topic that Ezekiel is becoming more fond of (see also Dogs ). ...

Published by Corgi Books: London, 1988 (1985). First published 1983. Book 1 of the 'Discworld' series. It has finally happened! I have reread the first Discworld novel! Discworld being, of course, the series of 50-plus fantasy/satire books written by the late Terry Pratchett, composing a huge cast of characters that grow and develop throughout the years in their own sub-series-within-a-series. The Colour of Magic introduces the Discworld for the first time: a flat, circular world, balanced on the back of four giant elephants that themselves stand on the back of a giant turtle that swims through space. Pretty much every magical or mythological character you can think of exists on the Discworld somewhere, and as the series progresses, Pratchett uses this fantasy lens to poke fun at various aspects of our reality. Such a huge undertaking as a 50-plus book series satiring reality through a fantasy lens, however, is likely to be one that finds it rhythm over time, and this holds tru...

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company: New York, New York, 2014. One of the first reviews I posted on this blog was for internet cartoonist Randall Munroe's book How To , a book where the author took common real-life problems and provided scientifically reasoned bizarre solutions for them. The example I mentioned in that review was crossing a river by such means as freezing or boiling the river, or flying over via kite. This book, which Munroe wrote earlier than How To, takes the opposite approach: Munroe answers the bizarre and absurd questions written by his viewers with straight-forward scientific logic. Topics in this book include whether swimming in a pool that has nuclear radiation stored at the bottom would be safe, how much power Yoda has, and what would happen if all of the rain from a rain-storm fell in one giant drop. Even slightly more straightforward questions, such as how high a human could throw something, are run with to their most ridiculous-an...

Published by Hicks Smith & Sons Ltd: Wellington, Auckland, revised edition 1954. First published 1947. We three had a few days in a friend’s bach this week, and as is the case when in a new location, the first thing I did was check out the bookshelf (especially as I was struggling with The Grapes of Wrath, which I gave up on soon afterwards). Anyway, out of the fairly meager offerings available, I chose this book on the basis of it being a) not too long, b) not too dark, and c) not a hunting or fishing guidebook. I didn’t really know what I was getting into – particularly as the dust-jacket was missing - but it turned out to be quite unique, and fairly enjoyable. From N to Z is a slightly satirical look at New Zealand, by an author writing in the late 1940s (and revised in the early 1950s). He begins by telling us that “No attempt was made to make it a truthful description of New Zealand and therefore it qualifies as a Guide Book.” (pg 9). This gives the author leeway to ex...

Published by Lawrence & Gibson Publishing Collective: Aoetearoa/New Zealand, 2023. Taking a break from looking at potential Level 2 texts, this is a potential Level 1 text instead! At the heart of Turncoat is an extended metaphor, an allegory, in which Māori culture and worldview is represented by the book's portrayal of humanity as a whole, and non-Māori culture - aka, the European-centric worldview - is represented by literal aliens, who invaded in past centuries and have now interbred with humanity to the point that most humans look just like them. Our main character, Daniel, is one such human, who understands and operates in Alien culture (called the Hierarch) all the time, but still seeks to influence the Hierarch to honour the original covenants they signed with humanity all those years ago. The metaphor isn't subtle, and at times it purposefully (often humorously) becomes incredibly obvious, particularly for readers from New Zealand. So, in place of Captain Cook bein...

Published by Scholastic Australia: Gosford, NSW, 2023. Sigh. I guess we were always going to review this book eventually. I'm not a big fan of scatological humour, but I cannot deny that this book is popular for kids, including Ezekiel. And it is fun too. I'll admit it. The main character, a unicorn, comes across a " dark, stinky poo" in the middle of the forest, and sets out to play detective and figure out "who did this poo!" There is a little bit of playing with the fourth wall, as the first person the unicorn accuses is the reader -  "It wasn't, you, was it? Of course not. No, no" - but after that, the unicorn begins interviewing the various animals in the vicinity, learning about what their poo looks like, and whether or not they could have been the culprit. It all escalates to an eventual confession by the culprit, followed by a last twist that adds a bit more humour to the whole thing. Fairly decent, even if I admit it reluctantly. Karl...

Published by Harper & Row Jr Books/Evil Eye Music, Inc: New York, NY, 1974. Elise, Ezekiel and I were recently house-sitting for my parents, and I came across it on one of their bookshelves. It is a book I first read when I was five (this particular copy of the book, as well, which has a written dedication to my family in the front from the person who gave it to us), and I loved it, and learned a lot of it by heart. I can still quote numerous poems from it verbatim. I don't read a lot of poetry. By now, anyone who has read my reviews regularly will have picked that up! This book, however, is a favourite of mine. How come I love this so much, when a lot of poetry leaves me cold? Well, Shel Silverstein is a very funny poet, along with being quite witty, and at times, surprisingly deep. So, we get a silly poem like 'The Battle', which in its entirety, reads: "Would you like to hear Of the terrible night When I bravely fought the -  No? Alright." And we recognise ...

Published by Gollancz/Hachette UK: London, 2019 (2018). Book 2 of the 'Skyward' series. Preceded by ' Skyward. ' Followed by 'Cytonic.' Two years ago I read the first book in this series, and quite enjoyed it. Our main protagonist, Spensa, followed her dream of becoming a pilot on a planet that was constantly fighting off alien invaders. She found a hidden ship, M-Bot, with an advanced AI system (that often uses what I now recognise as Sanderson's trademark quipping style), and helped save the day, while unlocking her special 'powers' - very on point for Sanderson, but not at all a negative. This book, like so many of Sanderson's sequels, ups the stakes considerably from what has come before. Suddenly, Spensa is thrust into a far greater universe than she had previously known, having to impersonate an alien species and infiltrate Starsight, an advanced space-station that is home to the aliens who have been attacking Spensa's planet, but who m...

Published as an audiobook by Penguin Audio, 25-09-2025. Narrated by Fiona Shaw. Book 5 in the 'Thursday Murder Club' series. Preceded by ' The Last Devil to Die. ' Earlier this year I practically binge-listened to the entire Thursday Murder Club series, beginning my final review by saying that  The Last Devil to Die felt like a suitable finale. However, I also wrote that the series had ended "for now" twice, and...well... I guess I was right! About a month ago, wandering through the Richmond Mall, I noticed that a fifth book was now on sale in Whitcoulls, so I raced home and purchased my audiobook copy that same day (it feels appropriate now to keep this as an audiobook series). So, considering how 'final' the previous series finale was, how does The Impossible Fortune fare? Well, to be honest, there are moments where, for me, it felt slightly 'lesser' than what had come before it. On occasion the characters (particularly, for me, Joyce and Ibr...

This is the third entry based around picture books I've read to Ezekiel, and the first one I've done this year (it's far too long since I've acknowledged Ezekiel on this list !). It's interesting to see which books have dropped off the radar from when I did my first picture book list . At that point, Ezekiel was only 7 months old, so the books we read were largely our choice. It's also nice to see how many books are still favourites, now that he is able to decide for himself what we read. I'm trying a different format this time around for this entry, giving separate pages to each picture book even though this will still only take up one 'entry' in my list. Or you can skip this entry entirely fairly easily! Let's see how this goes... Karl's List My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes ; Do Not Lick This Book ; Scarry Word Book: On Holiday ; Perky the Pukeko ; I Can Fly a Plane . Elise's List Seek and Circle: Christmas Stories ; My First Clock Book ;...

Published by Penguin Group: New Zealand, 2007. Originally published 1974. This book is one I really like, and in fact is the first time that Elise has picked a book for her list that was on mine. Knowing how much I enjoy it, she changed her list to another choice. Thanks, Elise! I remember my primary school having this book in a large format, and for some reason it is a story that has stuck with me, probably because of it's repetitive and slightly humorous story. What I didn't realise then, but enjoy now, is that the illustrator of this book is Lynley Dodd of  Hairy Maclary   fame! Fun! Each page of  My Cat  introduces another cat from some international location, usually with an incredible talent -  "The cat from Spain/ Flew an aeroplane/ The cat from France/ Liked to sing and dance"  - only to compare it with the narrator's own cat, with the refrain,  "But MY cat likes to hide in boxes."  These international cats are dressed in traditional costu...

Published by Allen & Urwin: Australia, 2017. The illustrator of  this  book is also responsible for animating the  Dumb Ways To Die   train safety advertising campaign that was used in Australia, and went viral. That cartoony style translates well to this book, about germs. Min is a germ that lives in 'this book.' The reader is instructed to pick Min up, and then take the germ on a journey: to their tooth, to their shirt, to their belly button, and back to the book. In each place, Min gathers friends who join the journey, showing how easily germs can be transferred. There are super-close-up images of books, teeth, fabric and skin to gross you out, and fun little cartoony germs to balance it all. And, interactiveness! Gotta love that. Ezekiel has started to anticipate where Min needs to travel, and will touch the spot on the book, or start looking for his belly button, as that point nears. Fun. Karl's List My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes ;  Do Not Lick This Boo...

Published by The Folio Society: London, 1976. First published 1855. Book 1 in 'The Chronicles of Barsetshire.' Followed by ' Barchester Towers. ' This is the third Anthony Trollope book I have read, and is the second of his Barsetshire Novels I have read, though in fact it is the first in that series. Barchester Towers , being the second book in the set, was the only one of his that I owned when I first read it, and fortunately worked as a stand-alone. It is interesting returning to Book 1, now, though, as I have more insight into the motivations of various characters in that second book! But anyway, for those who haven't read either: The Warden follows the story of Septimus Harding, the titular Warden of Hiram's Hospital, as well as a precentor in Barchester Cathedral. Hiram's Hospital was set up generations earlier based on a bequest from a John Hiram, who asked that twelve elderly men would be looked after in the role of "bedesmen", with the War...

Published by Beckett Publishing: Auckland, NZ, 1985. First published 1965. I found this at the ReStore in Tahunanui yesterday after work. I had the evening free and got a long way through it, then finished the book this afternoon. So, a fairly easy read, and not one I've ever read before. Dinny Virtue is a rubbish collector, not only doing the job of a rubbish collector but also collecting a large percentage of the 'rubbish' on his property, in case it ever comes in handy. He and his friend 'Watcher' enjoy their job, particularly the "perks" (aka, the good quality rubbish, and what they can sell it for), but are otherwise fairly unmotivated in life. Dinny's world is upended when his eighteen-year-old daughter, Leila, turns up. Dinny hasn't seen her in years, and is resistant to her arrival. Crump's humour shines as Dinny tries half-heartedly to make Leila leave, while gradually growing to respect and appreciate her. Of course, Leila is soon a v...

Published by Dean and Son Ltd: London, 1963. I needed a book with an animal protagonist, and remembered this book I read a few times as a child. After rereading it, I'm not super convinced that Brer Rabbit is a protagonist in the traditional sense - more of an anti-hero or even an antagonist at times - but the book still fits the brief over all. This is a collection of short fable-like chapters, each starring a somewhat anthropomorphised animal (usually Brer Rabbit) and usually having some sort of conflict where the smarter creature defeats the dumber creature. It is not always clear how anthropomorphised these animals are; they live in houses, they smoke cigars, all of them eat both meat and greens, and the male animals seem to be quite keen on 'Miss Meadows and the girls' (who might be human??) and yet the "carnivores" are often trying to eat the "herbivores", and at times they live in their traditional locations, such as ponds or briar-patches. Each s...