The Adventures of Lola by Jade Harley
From Goodreads
To thirteen-year-old Lola, the world is not a very magical place. She often gets in trouble, whether it’s with her parents, who find her rich imagination a bit tiresome, or at school, where the teachers see her as being far too dramatic. But Lola knows she is meant to do more in life, like maybe save the day…someday.
But when Lola and her friends realise that something disastrous is about to strike their town, they gather their strengths and are determined to solve the mystery. Their sleuthing soon brings them all the way to the King, who is less than pleased with Lola’s fearless hunt for the truth.
As Lola struggles to remain in the good graces of the people in her life, she starts to realize just how unique she truly is…and just how magical her life might actually be.
An exhilarating and heartfelt story of adventure and intrigue, The Adventures of Lola proves you don’t have to stick to the status quo to save the day. Written with wit and gripping insight into what it takes for young individuals to stand up for what is right, The Adventures of Lola is dazzling in its magic and excitement.
ISBN: 9781542844871
Publisher: Not specified
Publication date: February 23rd 2017
Pages: 146
Review
The first thing one notices about this book is the really colourful cover. It’s both enticing and inviting and very appropriate for the story contained within.
This is a good little story with lots of fun, frivolity, and adventures as the title suggests. It showcases how one person (in this case a fairy) can make a significant difference in the world and bring about change (a theme that is just as important now as it has ever been). The story moves quickly and I’m sure would keep the interest of young children. The descriptions are vibrant and effective without being overdone and unnecessarily wordy which tends to spoil a story. The story also shows how fear can trap people stopping themselves and others from exploring and how this in turn prevents growth and development. Some people may think this is a didactic style of writing but I must disagree – this is first and foremost a children’s story designed to be fun and colourful which it achieves successfully.
However, the news isn’t all good unfortunately. When reading the book I noticed a few grammar issues which should be addressed, especially as it is likely to be read by young children who are still learning English. On page 8 there is a comment about Lola sharing some news with her ‘bestest’ friends. The term ‘bestest’ is not correct and should be replaced with ‘best of’ instead. I also noticed that the possessive ‘s’ was often omitted and at other times it was included so I ask myself if the ones that were omitted was accidental and got missed in the editing process. In spite of this I still enjoyed the story, the characters, the scenery, and the ending.
Recommend for: Children 10 – 12 or 13 years old
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟
When we’re writing for children, who absorb so much more than we adults do, it is critical that a good example of grammar is set all the way through. Grammar “rules” for written English are designed to help the reader understand what is being read, and often someone will read a lengthy article that complies with those “rules” without considering it long, but complain about a poorly written article half the length. If we present children with poor grammar they will grow up thinking that that is acceptable, and they will fall into the big pit of being misunderstood because they haven’t expressed themselves carefully enough. Of course, in the case of something spoken by someone with poor grammar skills it is appropriate to break those rules because that’s how the person would speak. That shouldn’t be a reason for ignoring good grammar anywhere else.
You make valid points Étienne. You will be pleased to know that the author has done a re-edit on this book and hopes that she has got all the grammar errors this time around. She was very grateful for the feedback.