Cowgirl by G R Gemin - Revision history

Sue at 14:57, 9 October 2020

2020-10-09T14:57:11Z

Kieran at 11:37, 19 April 2018

2018-04-19T11:37:27Z

Sue at 15:25, 12 February 2015

2015-02-12T15:25:56Z

Sue at 15:22, 12 February 2015

2015-02-12T15:22:37Z

Sue at 15:33, 19 January 2015

2015-01-19T15:33:43Z

Sue: Created page with "{{infobox |title=Cowgirl |author=G R Gemin |reviewer=Anne Thompson |genre=Confident Readers |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=9780857632814 |pages=272 |publisher=Nosy Cro..."

2014-03-20T07:39:54Z

Created page with "{{infobox |title=Cowgirl |author=G R Gemin |reviewer=Anne Thompson |genre=Confident Readers |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=9780857632814 |pages=272 |publisher=Nosy Cro..."

New review

{{infobox
|title=Cowgirl
|author=G R Gemin
|reviewer=Anne Thompson
|genre=Confident Readers
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9780857632814
|pages=272
|publisher=Nosy Crow
|date=March 2014
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857632817</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0857632817</amazonus>
|website=http://www.contactanauthor.co.uk/authorpage.php?id=900
|video=
|summary=This is a debut novel with a refreshing voice and a definite feel good factor in which an unlikely friendship between two young girls and their efforts to save a herd of cows rekindle a sense of community in their town.
}}
Gemma has grown up on a housing estate in South Wales where muggings and burglaries are commonplace, her dad is in prison, her mum has given up hope for the future and Gemma argues with her younger brother. She has given up on finding happiness and escapes from her daily routine by riding her bike into the nearby countryside. On one of these trips she bumps into the notorious Cowgirl and after their initial hostilities have thawed an unlikely friendship blossoms and together the girls, with the help of a dozen cows, discover that kindness, cooperation and perseverance can restore hope to a broken community.

This book was not what I expected at all and after the first couple of chapters I had really warmed to it. The summary on the publisher’s website mentions ‘social realism’ and yes, Gemma’s family have their problems to deal with as do others in their circle, but this is most definitely not a depressing story. G R Gemin writes in an easy-to-read conversational style with an engaging and refreshing voice which will undoubtedly appeal to young readers. Although the plot is a little crazy, well very crazy really, the story works well due to the believability of all the individual characters and the manner in which the relationships are described. The bond between Gemma and her Gran is particularly lovely and the growing friendship between Gemma and Kate, or Cowgirl as she is called by the school bullies, felt realistic.

I am loathe to give away too much of the plot as half the fun is the unexpectedness of events. However this is a book with a very positive message. The reader learns that we should not always judge others by first impressions, that friendship can be found in the most unlikely places and that kindness and understanding can conquer many problems. A pretty useful message for youngsters, I think. Despite the slightly far-fetched plot, although I confess I was cheering them on as they tried to hide an entire herd of cows, this book manages to be funny, moving, and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed this impressive debut and will be watching out for this particular author’s next book. Recommended.

I should like to thank the people at Nosy Crow Publishers for sending this copy to the Bookbag.

Although this story has been described as [[:Category:Jacqueline Wilson|Jacqueline Wilson]] meets [[:Category:Michael Morpurgo|Michael Morpurgo]] the humour and warmth reminded me more of [[:Category:Frank Cottrell Boyce|Frank Cottrell Boyce]].

If you would like to read another book about a town girl being affected by country life you may enjoy [[Shine by Kate Maryon]]

{{amazontext|amazon=0857632817}}
{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 }}
-'''Shortlisted for the 2015 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize: Best Fiction ofr 5-12s'''
+'''Shortlisted for the 2015 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize: Best Fiction for 5-12s'''
 Gemma has grown up on a housing estate in South Wales where muggings and burglaries are commonplace, her dad is in prison, her mum has given up hope for the future and Gemma argues with her younger brother. She has given up on finding happiness and escapes from her daily routine by riding her bike into the nearby countryside.  On one of these trips she bumps into the notorious Cowgirl and after their initial hostilities have thawed an unlikely friendship blossoms and together the girls, with the help of a dozen cows, discover that kindness, cooperation and perseverance can restore hope to a broken community.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:33, 19 January 2015
Line 30:		Line 30:

	{{amazontext\|amazon=0857632817}}		{{amazontext\|amazon=0857632817}}
		+	{{amazonUStext\|amazon=0857632817}}
		+
	{{commenthead}}		{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 |cover=0857632817
 |website=http://www.contactanauthor.co.uk/authorpage.php?id=900
 |summary=This is a debut novel with a refreshing voice and a definite feel good factor in which an unlikely friendship between two young girls and their efforts to save a herd of cows rekindle a sense of community in their town.
 }}
@@ Line 25: / Line 24: @@
 This book was not what I expected at all and after the first couple of chapters I had really warmed to it.  The summary on the publisher’s website mentions ‘social realism’ and yes, Gemma’s family have their problems  to deal with as do others in their circle, but this is most definitely not a depressing story. G R Gemin writes in an easy-to-read conversational style with an engaging and refreshing voice which will undoubtedly appeal to young readers. Although the plot is a little crazy, well very crazy really, the story works well due to the believability of all the individual characters and the manner in which the relationships are described.  The bond between Gemma and her Gran is particularly lovely and the growing friendship between Gemma and Kate, or Cowgirl as she is called by the school bullies, felt realistic.
-I am loathe to give away too much of the plot as half the fun is the unexpectedness of events. However this is a book with a very positive message. The reader learns that we should not always judge others by first impressions, that friendship can be found in the most unlikely places and that kindness and understanding can conquer many problems. A pretty useful message for youngsters, I think. Despite the slightly far-fetched plot, although I confess I was cheering them on as they tried to hide an entire herd of cows, this book manages to be funny, moving, and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed this impressive debut and will be watching out for this particular author’s next book. Recommended.
+I am loathe to give away too much of the plot as half the fun is the unexpectedness of events. However, this is a book with a very positive message. The reader learns that we should not always judge others by first impressions, that friendship can be found in the most unlikely places and that kindness and understanding can conquer many problems. A pretty useful message for youngsters, I think. Despite the slightly far-fetched plot, although I confess I was cheering them on as they tried to hide an entire herd of cows, this book manages to be funny, moving, and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed this impressive debut and will be watching out for this particular author’s next book. Recommended.
 I should like to thank the people at Nosy Crow Publishers for sending this copy to the Bookbag.
@@ Line 31: / Line 30: @@
 Although this story has been described as [[:Category:Jacqueline Wilson|Jacqueline Wilson]] meets [[:Category:Michael Morpurgo|Michael Morpurgo]] the humour and warmth reminded me more of [[:Category:Frank Cottrell Boyce|Frank Cottrell Boyce]].
-If you would like to read another book about a town girl being affected by country life you may enjoy [[Shine by Kate Maryon]]
+If you would like to read another book about a town girl being affected by country life you may enjoy [[Shine by Kate Maryon]],  We also have a review of Gemin's [[Sweet Pizza by G R Gemin|Sweet Pizza]].
 {{amazontext|amazon=0857632817}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox2
 |title=Cowgirl
 |author=G R Gemin
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 |publisher=Nosy Crow
 |date=March 2014
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857632817</amazonuk>
+|aznuk=0857632817
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0857632817</amazonus>
+|aznus=0857632817
 |website=http://www.contactanauthor.co.uk/authorpage.php?id=900
 |video=