#BookReview: Sparky of Bunker Hill and the Cold Kid Case by Rosalind Barden @BardenRosalind @bookroar_tweets
Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for a fun children’s read by an author new to me, Rosalind Barden >>>
About the Book:
Lots of characters have it bad, in my Bunker Hill neighborhood smack dab in the middle of Los Angeles, but I’ve had it rougher than most.
There may be something to this 13th business.
That’s my birthday, and I’m learning to dread seeing it roll around. My mother died on one birthday. The cousins dumped me on my last. This year, 1932, I found a dead kid on a park bench. It’s my eleventh birthday, and the day me, Sparky, ended up on the run, wanted for murder.
If the dead girl wasn’t enough, the dirty newspapers pinned every body in LA on me, and even blamed me for the Great War. I wasn’t even born then. The price on my head got bigger by the day.
It was up to me to find out who killed the girl and why I got framed, before I ended up dangling from the hangman’s rope.
My Review:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved this kid’s read! One line, I even read aloud to dear hubby, who chortled along with me … being the big kids at heart we are, lols. This author captures (wonderfully) the mind of a child and delivers a tall tale that ‘children’ of all ages are sure to enjoy.
The protagonist, Sparky, is a homeless and orphaned eleven-year-old girl. Her birthday falls on the 13th, and it’s proved as unlucky as you might expect. On one birthday, her mum died, and on another, her cousins kicked her out, leaving little ole Sparky homeless. This savvy kid makes a life for herself until the dawn of her 11th birthday, and this ‘13th’ date proves the most disastrous yet.
The only thing that spoilt this read for me were the numerous spelling mistakes. For example: Scoped instead of scooped. Barred instead of bared. Too instead of to, and more.
Apart from this, I enjoyed this book immensely. A wonderful sense of humour threads throughout this story. Here are some lines that stood out for me …
‘That was so much dough, I could hardly even picture it. Made me tempted to turn myself in.’
And …
‘It was a gold colored car with a front about a mile long. Maybe that’s stretching things a bit,’ (An oldie but a goody.)
And …
‘The moon watched me through the clear glass transom windows.’
I found the content age appropriate and well executed. Had I still been a twelve-year-old, this story would have kept me on the edge of my seat. As an adult, I enjoyed the exaggerations and child’s world view. So many times, I laughed aloud. The only reason I didn’t finish this in one go is that life, and the new year celebrations, got in the way.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …
UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/
Thank you, Harmony, for the wonderful review! I am so glad you enjoyed “Sparky.” I had a lot of fun writing it too!
I loved your voice and humour! Wishing you all the best with everything, Rosalind 💕🙂
This sounds like a really fun story for kids, Harmony. It is a pity about the spelling errors.
For sure! Thanks, Robbie 💕🙂
This sounds like a fun read. The cover is cute as well. Thanks for sharing your review, Harmony.
You’re welcome, Joan 💕🙂
Fun review of what sounds like a very entertaining book. Thanks, Harmony! 😊❤
You’re welcome! Thanks, Marcia 💕🙂
The voice sounds so engaging. This is a book I’d have enjoyed as a child. Thanks for sharing.
Incredibly engaging. Thanks, Staci 💕🙂
Sounds like a good one for the younger crowd.
For sure! Thanks, Craig 💕🙂
It definitely sounds like a book I would have enjoyed as a kid. A fun book for young readers. Thanks for sharing, Harmony!
I’d have loved this as a kid. Thanks, Mae 💕🙂
This sounds like a fun read that I might enjoy and my grandaughter.
I think you’d both have fun with this. Thanks, Denise 💕🙂
This sounds like a really fun read. I will look into it for my granddaughter! Thanks for sharing, Harmony.
Ooh, I think your granddaughter would love this! Thanks, Jan 💕🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this book, Harmony. Sounds like the author got the voice of the kid right which is hard to do.
It takes skill, for certain. Thanks, John 💕🙂
It sounds fun. I would have loved this book as a kid (spelling errors and all). Good review, Harmony!
A wonderful kids bit of fictional fun! Thanks, Priscilla 💕🙂