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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
By Jeff Kinney. Puffin. $14.99.

The Hefleys hit the road in this the ninth book in the Wimpy series. It's hard not to love Greg and his off-beat family and here they're all thrown together in close quarters as mum decides they need to bond on an impromptu holiday. While a couple of the more recent books seemed formulaic, this one revitalises the series as the family takes centre stage. For fans of the series, or for any child you're taking on a road trip this year, the Hefley's adventures will make yours seem normal in comparison.

The Jewel
By Amy Ewing. Walker Books. $17.95.

Remember Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. This is that story for the Twilight/Hunger Games generation. Violet is purchased at the surrogacy auction and her only role now is to produce an heir for the Duchess. Ewing could have turned this book into something spectacular and truly captured said generation but instead she takes a romantic path as Violet falls (almost instantly) in love with Ash, another captive in the palace. Your teen reader might enjoy this aspect of it but you'll be left wondering how soon is too soon for a teenager to read Attwood.

Egg & Spoon
By Gregory Maguire. Candlewick Press. $24.95.

Nothing like a good Prince and the pauper storyline. Here poor peasant girl Elena is doing things pretty tough. Her father is dead, her mother is dying and there is no food. When a train carrying great wealth comes to town she switches places with Ekaterina, a noble girl her age, and heads for the Tsar's court. There's Russian folklore, magic and humour in what turns out to be a great quest story that will keep you entertained throughout. Maguire is best known for writing Wicked, the book that told the Oz story from the witches' perspective and inspired the musical. This book, while it will test less confident readers, is quite a ride too.
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/book-reviews-diary-of-a-wimpy-kid--the-long-haul-the-jewel-egg--spoon-20141204-11zakl.html
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