November 25

‘Tall Story’ by Candy Gourlay

Tallstory“What you want isn’t always what you get. Even when your wishes come true.”

Gather together in the blistering hot country of the Philippines and the freezing cold city of London, as you follow Bernardo, an eight-foot tall boy with size 22 feet. He dreams of leaving his Filipino village San Andres and heading to London for the first time to join in with his mother’s, half-sister’s, and step-father’s lives. Though how can he leave his village when the townspeople believe that he is the power that is keeping the earthquakes away from destroying San Andres? How will he fit into his new life and the lives of others in London? Will San Andres be destroyed if Bernardo leaves? All of these griping and thrilling questions, and many others, are answered within this book ‘Tall Story’.

This book surprised and surpassed my expectations and assumptions. I believed that this book was a little too easy and uninteresting for my entertainment. I was terribly wrong. Although the language level of the book is designed for younger readers who have just begun reading novels, I was actually really intrigued and entertained by the storyline and the main characters, to the point of finding it hard to put the book down because I just wanted to know how everything was going to work out. The fact that the book, the storyline, the characters, and the settings are highly engaging, realistic, convincing, suspenseful, and emotional, this is really what makes it such a great book for readers to enjoy and be entertained. The characters and their journeys are also really easy to become involved with and connected to, even from the start. Overall, ‘Tall Story’ is just a great read for people to enjoy and be a part of for the journey of the entire book.

I recommend this book to children between the ages of 8 and 12 who are interested in taking a heart-filled adventure about a young boy’s life. Readers will enjoy this book if they like books that are full of emotions, intriguing characters, and descriptive settings. This book is a little bit of an easier read, though it’s still interesting and suspenseful enough to keep readers entertained. I’d rate this book ‘Tall Story’ 3½ out of 5 stars.

Zachary Q. Year 9

……..

‘The bigger they are the harder they fall.’

This story is set in a busy city in England and a small village in the Philippines. Both places differ from each other by a lot so it is almost assured that the reader is in for quite a ride.

The two main characters are almost complete opposites at first glance, but as the story goes on their connections start to shine. Andi has grown up in England and since she was a little girl she has had the ambition to play professional basketball. Bernardo is a giant 8ft boy, a legend in his village. The only relation they have in common is their mother.

The story explains the journey from the perspectives of both Andi and Bernardo as they have to deal with the many emotions of life as Bernardo moves to England, dealing with his monstrous height.

I loved this story because of its drama and short bits of humour and the fact that I can relate to the story such as the mothers actions and reactions as I am Filipino myself and my mum is exactly like her. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone because this is no comic book or detailed novel. It is a story which should be shared with everyone.

Wilfredo Jr V, Year 9

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Posted November 25, 2015 by marjk in category Realistic fiction, Student Reviews

About the Author

Teacher-librarian at Aquinas College, Southport, Gold Coast, Australia

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