Toocool :
Tennis Ace
Phil Kettle
Scholastic Australia 2001
pbk, 44p., ill., 8.95
1865043427
It’s the Australian Tennis Open.
Too Cool and Gemma Jones are taking on the great Brick and Wall. Tennis is
popular this season because of this match and Too Cool is a huge success!
The match begins with Too Cool serving the ball. Brick whacks it back. Dog
the ballboy returns the ball to play. Backwards and forwards it goes until
Gemma gets the ball and yes! She gets a point! Then Too Cool gets an ace.
Yes! Too Cool is really into the game…..
Too Cool goes to get changed, then
back into it! Backwards and forwards and then, we won! That was a great
last shot….
“Too Cool, what have you done to
my flowers?!” Oh dear. But he’d just won the Australian Open! Sigh!
Mum just doesn’t understand!
As well as a good story, this book
gives information about tennis, explains tennis terms, shows what a real
tennis court looks like, has a map of Too Cool’s backyard tennis court,
a quiz about tennis and a fun interview with Too Cool by Too Cool! It is
one of a series of books where Too Cool pretends to be a champion at a
number of sports.
It is a good book. The author has
a nice way of writing and the words are clear to see. I recommend it as a
read–alone book for 7 to 9 year old children. The topic of the
Australian Open Tennis Championship is suitable and interesting. When you
first start reading the book, you think it is not funny, but it is a
‘the more you get into it, the more you laugh’ book.
Reviewer : Merredy, 7,
ACT
Toocool:
Slam Dunk Magician
Phil Kettle
Scholastic Australia 2001
The choice of topic was different to a lot of other titles because I have never heard the name Too Cool. It is suitable for my age group which is 8-9 but it would probably suit boys around that age because they might be interested in basketball.
The quality of Too Cool Slam Dunk Magician was excellent because not too many books have quizzes and teach you the basic steps of how to play a game or do something that not many people would teach you how to do.
The illustrations were great and they matched the story line. The readability was just a little bit too easy for me but I recommend it for 8-9 year olds because it is not too easy and not too hard.
The language is appropriate for the audience because it has no inappropriate language to disturb the readers. And yes, the style of print and size of the writing were easy to read. The layout assists the reader while they are reading.
I thought it was a read-aloud book because it was very interesting and your family might be interested in basketball.
I thought Too Cool Slam Dunk Magician was a good book and hope to read the other Too Cool Books. I think the quiz was good because it gave you information about basketball like how to dribble and pass, and what a penalty shot is and how a game works.
I also think Phil Kettle is a great writer and Craig Smith is a fabulous illustrator. I really enjoyed Too Coll Slam Dunk Magician and I hope you do too.
Reviewer: Belinda, 9, ACT
This story is about a boy named Toocool who is sound asleep dreaming about playing basketball in the NBA Championship Final. All of a sudden his mother who wants him to wake up, have breakfast and get ready for school wakes Toocool up. Having a sleepover at Toocool’s place is his friend Tony.
They
get up, have breakfast, clean their teeth and then they go outside and
play a game of basketball before going to school.
Toocool
decides to pretend that it’s the NBA Championship Final and they are
playing in front of a big crowd. On Toocool’s team is himself and a
brick wall called Brick. On the other team are his friend Tony and his
dog. The crowd is a Rooster and a group of hens.
Toocool
really did think it was a NBL Championship Final and the game was really
close, although his mother kept on bothering him during the game because
she just wanted him to get ready to go to school.
In
the end, Toocool’s team won and he signed his autograph on wall.
Toocool’s mum wasn’t very happy about him writing on the wall and told
him to go off to school and when he came home he had to clean the wall.
Toocool wasn’t very happy with this because he was now an NBA Champion
and his mum did not understand.
I
enjoyed reading this book and read it in half an hour. It may have been a
bit easy for me but I still enjoyed reading it. It’s a good book for
people around my age and its good for kids who like sport. The
illustrations were good but it would be better if they were in colour.
I
think it’s a read aloud book with the style and size of the print just
right as well as the language. I would probably tell my friends this is a
good book to read and I would also read the other Toocool books which are
in this series.
Reviewer:
Rachel, 8, Canberra
Too Cool is a short but good book about a boy who has a big
imagination. Too Cool is an enjoyable book and resembles Aussie Bites stories. It’s good for readers around the age of 6. I would give this book a 7/10.Chiara, age 11, Sydney
Toocool : Grand Prix Champ
