Allen & Unwin 2001

32p., hbk, $28.50
1865085006

The title of my book I had to review was The Chocolate Lovers.

The author for the story was Joan Van Loon and the author for the recipes was Gabriel Gate. The publishers of the book were ALLEN and UNWIN.

The topic of the book was chocolate and cooking.The appeal to the audience is that it makes your taste buds shiver and you just want to be there to experience the great tasting food.

The quality of the storyline was 100% out of 100% but it also was a bit for younger children.The age group of the story was about 6  – 8 years and to the cooking side the age groups would be about 7 – 9 years with parent’s help and 10-12 years without help.

The quality of the illustrations is 100% out of 100% but it needed more background and the colours needed to be darker at the back of the book so it looks better. The illustrations fit in with the text in my book because they are both perfect size for each other. The readability of the story is 90% out of 100% because the recipes were not very clear. The language was very appropriate for the audience and especially for little kids. The style and size of the writing was readable in the story but harder to read the recipes. The layout is very clear - there is nothing wrong with it.

The book can be a read-alone if you’re cooking or it can be a read-aloud if you’re reading the story.

My personal opinion is that Joan, Chantal and Gabriel worked really hard to make a great book.

Reviewed by Morgan, 10  Canberra.

Caitlin:
The ending was happy because he got what he wanted.

I think this book is a setting for Grades 1, 2, 3 and grown ups.  I think that the story has a lot of humour in it.  It kept my attention.  It has very good illustrations.  How it shows how they are waving and how they are so funny and how Maria Madeleine Monkhouse was so neat.  It has a very funny ending and when his father said lets go play frisbees with the cake.

Rianna
What was the title of this book?
The chocolate lovers

Who was the author?
Joan van Loom

Have you read other books by this author?
No

Who was the illustrator?
Chantel Steward

Did you like the pictures?
Yes

What is the setting of this book?
In a cooking class.

Tell about the characters in this book
They were funny.  It was very good.  I loved it very much.

Did the author tell you enough about the characters?
Yes

What was the plot of the story?
When Jack ran in to the cooking class and gave his cake to Marian.

Was the story interesting enough to keep you reading?
Yes

Did the story have a good ending?
Yes

Dillon
I’ve just finished reading The chocolate lovers by Joan van Loon.  Using the scale on this sheet I would rate it Super.  It is very good.  The thing I liked best about the story was the characters.  This book was good how they wrote the recipes down the bottom of the page and it was funny.

Ella
I’ve just finished reading The chocolate Lovers by Joan Van Loon.  I would rate it super.  This is because it is very realistic and believable.  The thing I liked best about the story was that it was about chocolate.  There was nothing I didn’t like about the book.  It was very humorous and realistic.

Alex:
I think this book is suitable for Grades 1, 2 and 3.  I think it has a lot of humour in it to keep me reading.  I liked how they kissed in the end.  I liked how they put recipes in the book.  I would really like to buy it. because it was really funny.

Tobias
What was the title of this book?
Chocolate lovers

Who was the author?
Joan van Loon

Have you read other books by this author?
No

Who was the illustrator?
Chantel Stewart

Did you like the pictures?
Yes

What is the setting of this book?
At the master class

Tell about the characters in this book
They were enjoyable and funny

Did the author tell you enough about the characters?
Yes

What was the plot of the story?
It was great.  It was funny sometimes in the story

Was the story interesting enough to keep you reading?
Yes

Did the story have a good ending?
Yes

Reviewed by Year 1, Sydney

The Chocolate Lovers is a picture book that is both a story and recipe book. The story was written by Joan van Loon, the pictures are by Chantal Stewart and the famous chef Gabriel Gate provided the recipes.

The story is about Jack, a young boy whose mother sends him off to a Master Class for Chefs where he learns to cook with chocolate and meets Marian Madeline Monk house – MMM – with whom he immediately falls for! Jack’s mum starts calling him the Chocolate Cake King which leads him into deciding to make a chocolate cake fit for his queen – MMM. The result could have been disastrous if not for the famous words “the proof of the chocolate cake is in the taste of it”!

This is a mouth-watering book with twenty delicious chocolate recipes throughout the story. Every illustration is decorated with something chocolate – for example, a girl is pictured wearing a chocolate chip bikini! The use of gold throughout makes every page look like a box of chocolates.

I recommend this beautiful book for any age group as every child (and adult) loves chocolate. Cooking the recipes could be managed by 8 year olds and up with adult help.

Samantha, Year 5, age 10 years., rural NSW

At the time of the story when they imaginatively told you what people use chocolate for e.g. courage. That let them tell you more yummy recipes. The illustrations made the story easier to understand. Also at one part the pictures were very creative e.g. the sumo wrestler eating chocolate rice pudding. Sometime the recipes were slightly hard to understand what to do. I give the book seven and a half out of ten. Recommended ages: 7-11 years.

Carl, 10,QLD