I must admit, I’m a bit of a Battle Boy fan – having thoroughly enjoyed the first books of this series by high-tech minded Carter, I was thrilled to see these two new releases, and so get even more of my Spying on the Past fix.
And no, I’m not a six-year-old boy.
The reason I love these books, even as a 40-something adult, is not just because they eagerly encourage some of our most reluctant readers (ie: computer-game-addicted boys) to dive headlong into the pages of a book, they also most cleverly rehash one of my own personal loves – history – into a fabulous and fascinating action-packed romp that is high on intellectual style and thankfully low on gratuitous kiddie schlock.
And yes, even the most lame computer games are packed with brain-sapping kiddie schlock – passive aggressive violence and mind-numbing repetition that creates vacant, robotic spaces in our kids’ brains that SO needs to be flooded with intrigue and subjective decision-making and imagination.
The Battle Boy series can do this for your boy. Or girl. Or you. Young Napoleon Augustus Smythe (Battle Boy 005) is back – this time in two new books taking in the world of Alexander the Great in Battle Bust-Up and Aztecs and Spaniards in Aztec Attack.
In true Battle Boy style, Napoleon is called to don his super high-tech, patented Skin suit that allows him to travel back in time to collect the all-important DNAof some of the world’s greatest historical figures.
Studded with cool graphics and large font peppered about in size variations, reluctant readers will be entranced by the snappy storyline, super cool techno gadgets and an eleven-year-old hero any kid can relate to and be inspired by.
Carter’s imagination is once again on fire, and parents and teachers will delight in these power-packed history lessons, which will surely encourage a life-long love and fascination with history. For most young kids, history can be rather boring – so what better setting than high-impact and high-tech historical happenings to fire up historical passion?
And no, I’m not a six-year-old boy.
The reason I love these books, even as a 40-something adult, is not just because they eagerly encourage some of our most reluctant readers (ie: computer-game-addicted boys) to dive headlong into the pages of a book, they also most cleverly rehash one of my own personal loves – history – into a fabulous and fascinating action-packed romp that is high on intellectual style and thankfully low on gratuitous kiddie schlock.
And yes, even the most lame computer games are packed with brain-sapping kiddie schlock – passive aggressive violence and mind-numbing repetition that creates vacant, robotic spaces in our kids’ brains that SO needs to be flooded with intrigue and subjective decision-making and imagination.
The Battle Boy series can do this for your boy. Or girl. Or you. Young Napoleon Augustus Smythe (Battle Boy 005) is back – this time in two new books taking in the world of Alexander the Great in Battle Bust-Up and Aztecs and Spaniards in Aztec Attack.
In true Battle Boy style, Napoleon is called to don his super high-tech, patented Skin suit that allows him to travel back in time to collect the all-important DNAof some of the world’s greatest historical figures.
Studded with cool graphics and large font peppered about in size variations, reluctant readers will be entranced by the snappy storyline, super cool techno gadgets and an eleven-year-old hero any kid can relate to and be inspired by.
Carter’s imagination is once again on fire, and parents and teachers will delight in these power-packed history lessons, which will surely encourage a life-long love and fascination with history. For most young kids, history can be rather boring – so what better setting than high-impact and high-tech historical happenings to fire up historical passion?
Great stuff.
SEE ALSO: Battle Boy: Open Fire
Title: Battle Boy: Battle Bust-Up and Aztec Attack
Author: Charlie Carter
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, A$7.99RRP
Format: Soft cover
ISBN: 9780330425599 / 9780330425582
For ages: 5-10
Type: Junior Fiction
SEE ALSO: Battle Boy: Open Fire
Title: Battle Boy: Battle Bust-Up and Aztec Attack
Author: Charlie Carter
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, A$7.99RRP
Format: Soft cover
ISBN: 9780330425599 / 9780330425582
For ages: 5-10
Type: Junior Fiction