ANOTHER TOOCOOL and MARCY REVIEW

Review of the ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ Series

Written by Phil Kettle and Susan Halliday

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing

Age Range: 7 years+

Themes:  sports, friendships, outdoors, adventures, action

My name is Toocool, and I’m a legend!

I’m always after books for young readers just starting out on chapter books. The ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ books have been around for a while now and are perennially popular, but some great new titles have just been released.

The ‘TooCool’ books are squarely aimed at young boys, but I know plenty of sport loving girls who enjoy them as much as they enjoy the companion series, ‘Marcy’. The characters in ‘Marcy’ and ‘TooCool’ are the same so if children enjoy one series, they will enjoy seeing the characters in the other.

Children from around 7 years will feel confident reading the ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ books; the mix of illustrations and text is great. They can also be read by much older children and are often used with students who are experiencing difficulty with reading. The stories never speak down to the reader and they include topics from surfing to soccer to cowboys and waterslides, so they span a wide interest and age range. Lots of humour, action and sport, and some very likeable characters which children will engage with and want to keep reading about.

Phil Kettle has been writing the ‘TooCool’ books for some time now and he has ensured a mix of text types in the different titles in the series – there is some facts, diagrams, Q&A sections and some excellent jokes. Many other small chapter book series are formulaic and poorly written (even some of the wildly popular series, which I shan’t name!). ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ are not this – this is clever writing – care has been taken with these books.

The author of the ‘TooCool’ series, Phil Kettle, has some great words of encouragement and advice about young boys and reading here.

You can purchase the new sets of ‘Marcy’ and ‘TooCool’ DIRECTLY FROM WWW.PHILKETTLE.COM

Teaching notes are here.  

A book that changed your life: 'Flick the Page'

16 September 2013 , 6:36 PM by Scott Lamond

September is Get Reading month across Australia and 91.7 ABC Gold Coast is giving YOU the chance to win the Get Reading prize of 50 Books You Can't Put Down.

What to do? In 50 words or less tell us about the book that changed your life and email your response to abcgoldcoast@abc.net.au before Sept 29, 2013.

This week on 'Flick the Page' Phil Kettle shares a verse or two from a book that changed his life (pictured).

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On tour in WA

Authors go from big smoke to remote: 'Flick the Page'

09 September 2013 , 2:37 PM by Scott Lamond

September is 'Get Reading' month but popular authors are travelling the nation to teach kids how to write stories.

ABC Gold Coast's resident childrens author Phil Kettle joined fellow author Meridith Costain on a visit to Kalgoorlie and together they shared inspiration from their adventure.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF STORY TELLERS

The magic of spinning a yarn: 'Flick the Page'

26 August 2013 , 2:34 PM by Scott Lamond

Are Aussie kids missing out on the beauty of storytelling?

What are the ingredients of a good story?

Today on 'Flick the Page' the art of stroytelling is explored and storyteller Anne E Stewart (pictured) shares a few yarns and tips.

Listen to Author Phil Kettle and Drive's Scott Lamond:

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Flick the Page..this weeks special guest Michael Wagner

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2013/08/passion-at-the-turn-of-every-page-flick-the-page.html?site=goldcoast&program=gold_coast_drive

Drive with Scott Lamond

3:00pm - 6:00pm

• More about Scott
• Contact Us

Passion at the turn of every page: 'Flick the Page'

19 August 2013 , 6:37 PM by Scott Lamond

What's your crazy passion?

There's an ABC Open project called 'My crazy passion' that has inspired this week's segment.

Michael Wagner (pictured) has done it all. He's worked for ABC Radio, formed a band and today he's a childrens author. But that's just some of his story.

Have a listen to 91.7 ABC Gold Coast's Scott Lamond and author Phil Kettle as they talk to a man who really does love his job. They might even play some music! 

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ABC Open My crazy passion!

LIBRARIES ARE SO IMPORTANT

Borrow a book: 'Flick the Page'

12 August 2013 , 7:23 PM by Scott Lamond

There are 256,000 active members with 9,000 visitations each day.

Q: To what?

A: Libraries on the Gold Coast.

For the first time 'Flick the Page' with Scott Lamond and Phil Kettle hit the road and visited the Elanora library which is one of 14 in the region.

Alison Kemp (pictured) is the co-ordinator, customer service with Gold Coast Libraries and she explains there are 1 million books to borrow and loads of free opportunities on offer through the network of libraries on the coast.

GREAT REVIEW TOOCOOL AND MARCY BOOKS

Review of the ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ Series

Written by Phil Kettle and Susan Halliday

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing

Age Range: 7 years+

Themes:  sports, friendships, outdoors, adventures, action

My name is Toocool, and I’m a legend!

I’m always after books for young readers just starting out on chapter books. The ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ books have been around for a while now and are perennially popular, but some great new titles have just been released.

The ‘TooCool’ books are squarely aimed at young boys, but I know plenty of sport loving girls who enjoy them as much as they enjoy the companion series, ‘Marcy’. The characters in ‘Marcy’ and ‘TooCool’ are the same so if children enjoy one series, they will enjoy seeing the characters in the other.

Children from around 7 years will feel confident reading the ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ books; the mix of illustrations and text is great. They can also be read by much older children and are often used with students who are experiencing difficulty with reading. The stories never speak down to the reader and they include topics from surfing to soccer to cowboys and waterslides, so they span a wide interest and age range. Lots of humour, action and sport, and some very likeable characters which children will engage with and want to keep reading about.

Phil Kettle has been writing the ‘TooCool’ books for some time now and he has ensured a mix of text types in the different titles in the series – there is some facts, diagrams, Q&A sections and some excellent jokes. Many other small chapter book series are formulaic and poorly written (even some of the wildly popular series, which I shan’t name!). ‘TooCool’ and ‘Marcy’ are not this – this is clever writing – care has been taken with these books.

The author of the ‘TooCool’ series, Phil Kettle, has some great words of encouragement and advice about young boys and reading here.

Teaching notes are here.