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Children's
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Written by Nicolette Jones
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It is impossible not to like Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, for the wit with which it brings Greek myths into the modern world, and for turning his own son’s dyslexia and ADHD into the attributes of a demigod. The new Twentieth Century Fox film of Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief, released on 12 February and directed by Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter 1 and 2), preserves the wonderful line from the book: "You are dyslexic because your brain is hardwired for Ancient Greek." It also conveys some information about Greek mythology: that if you chop off one of the heads of a Hydra, for instance, two heads grow back.
Watching it, I occasionally found myself distracted by some odd American pronunciation. "That was a minnow-tower," we were told, and I found myself thinking: 'That monster bull-man looked nothing like a big pile of small fish.' Pierce Brosnan (as Chiron the 'sen-tower') looked rather silly with his waist where a horse’s neck begins - but then, let’s face it, not as silly as he was singing in Mamma Mia. The film is an entertaining action adventure with impressive special effects, if you are impressed by special effects. And Logan Lerman is endearing and watchable as Percy. Brandon T Jackson as Grover the Satyr is funny. But it is impossible not to miss some features of the book.
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Children's
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Written by Liz Thomson
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Bounce! Sales and Marketing has partnered with Yorkshire and Humberside public libraries for the Bounce into Books Yorkshire and Humberside Children's Festival, which launches today, 8 February, and runs through to Saturday. |
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Following a purchase direct from the author, Macmillan is to publish the autobiography of Lord (Alan) Sugar this autumn. 
Random House marked the retirement of editor and publisher Tony Whittome with a party to celebrate his distinguished 40-year career. The do was attended by authors, agents, old friends and colleagues, who presented him with a Picasso lithograph featuring a bull, which is of course the Hutch logo. 
