Pearls of Lutra

By Brian Jacques

Review by Jack

The opening paragraph grabs the reader’s attention.

·Put reader right into the action

·Make reader imagine the unimaginable (ie. It’s not everyday that a 13 year old girl is accused of murder…)

·Don’t start with “the book I read was…” That’s way too BORING! Hook us into the plot!

Mad Eyes, the Pine Marten who rules Sampetra, will kill anything to get the Tears of all Oceans. When he sends the Waveworm and its crew to steal the pearls from the Lutra Holt, they leave only one survivor. When the ship returns without the pearls, they go back to Mossflower country with more monitors (lizards that eat flesh), and some corsairs to find it.

The title and author are worked in naturally

·Don’t say, “My book was The Giver” when you can say, “Jonas, a twelve year old boy and the main character of Lois Lowry’s Newbery Award winning novel The Giver, must make decisions that impact his entire society.”

Tansy, a young hedgehog living in the abbey Redwall, the main character in Brian Jacques book Pearls of Lutra, is the one who can ransom back Abbot Durral. She has to find the Tears of all Oceans hidden in the abbey before time runs out. Meanwhile, Martin the warrior and a few others set off to the tropical island Sampetra to rescue him before the abbot is killed.

The overall idea and plot are discussed, without giving away the ending

·Keep it short and sweet, even if it’s a long book

·Just give the reader the gist of the book. Be clear, make sense, don’t give away the ending

On Sampetra, Rasconza the fox and the corsairs try to overthrow Ublaz the marten, his trident rats, and the last of the monitors. Rasconza and Mad Eyes each have a trick up their sleeve.

Describe one exciting incident in detail

·Again, don’t give away the ending

·Be clear enough so that someone who HAS NOT read the book can follow

While Rasconza and Ublaz are fighting, they agree to make a peace treaty and meet North of Ublaz’s castle. Ublaz decides to put six Searat archers hidden on the north battlements of the castle to kill Rasconza when they meet. When Mad Eyes is on the field and gives the signal for the rats to fire, Rasconza replies “You got to watch your step round ‘ere matey, tis dangerous ground. Only last night six rats tripped and fell on their arrows, but they could be pardoned fer bein’ clumsy, ‘cos it was still dark.”

End the review with your opinion and recommendation

·Who might like this type of book? (Sports fans? People that love to laugh? History buffs? Late night readers that like to be freaked out?

·What did you think? Is it worth reading? If it won an award, is it worth the hype?

I think someone who enjoys fantasy books and characters being animals would enjoy reading Pearls of Lutra. The book was worth reading, but you should read the series in order as this is the 9^th book in the series called Tales from Redwall.