S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack by Ali Sparkes - Revision history

Sue at 14:41, 14 September 2020

2020-09-14T14:41:45Z

Sue at 12:23, 6 September 2020

2020-09-06T12:23:49Z

Sue at 10:39, 17 April 2018

2018-04-17T10:39:34Z

Sue at 12:19, 9 January 2015

2015-01-09T12:19:01Z

Sue at 14:23, 20 February 2011

2011-02-20T14:23:30Z

Sue: Created page with '{{infobox |title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack |sort=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack |author=Ali Sparkes |reviewer=John lloyd |genre=Confident Readers |summary=This time the twins become ants …'

2011-02-20T14:23:06Z

Created page with '{{infobox |title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack |sort=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack |author=Ali Sparkes |reviewer=John lloyd |genre=Confident Readers |summary=This time the twins become ants …'

New review

{{infobox
|title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack
|sort=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack
|author=Ali Sparkes
|reviewer=John lloyd
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This time the twins become ants - and female ones too. Can they survive the horrid boy up the road - and some nasty brainwashing?
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=0192729357
|hardback=
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=128
|publisher=OUP
|date=February 2011
|isbn=978-0192729354
|website=
|video=
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192729357</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0192729357</amazonus>
}}

It seems that Josh and Danny are about to meet their match. Despite being almost eaten by cats, birds, spiders and more when they've turned into creepy crawlies before in this series, they have a far worse foe this time - Tarquin, the snooty posh brat from up the road. How they survive him turning them into ants, and his misguided attempts to kill them, while all the time the next door neighbour's scientific research which is allowing all this transformation has to be kept a top secret, are all elements of this fourth book in the series.

Once more Ms Sparkes has hit her singular button on the head. Mixing comedy with under-10yo-friendly horror, she successfully makes her twin heroes believable ants - until perhaps she decides they're communicating by pheromone, then has it echo around the crevice in the back garden they temporarily call home. She also introduces the reader into the icky world of ant life - squirting acid from their rears, and eating fresh from the rears of other critters. The near-microscopic world they live in is simply portrayed, and her usual clarity regarding character and plot are present.

The mood of the piece is heightened by the illustrations, which I still think contain many odd compositions. But Tarquin, with his shirt, jacket and tie, and jug ears, is made completely unlikeable - I only hope Sparkes' fashion sense is better than Josh and Danny's mother's.

And so the fun series reaches a pause. There will be more - many more, perhaps, if Petty Potts the unusual scientific genius manages to go through the species as she intends - but for now there's a small hiatus in the publication of these little volumes. And I won't be the only young(-at heart) reader regretting that. Sparkes can only manage compelling and addictive series, and it's down to the rest of us to match her abilities with our skill at rationing the books, or in our patience. Sadly, I feel she has won out over us all...

I must thank the author and her publishers for my review copies.

The series started with [[S.W.I.T.C.H: Spider Stampede by Ali Sparkes and Ross Collins|Spider Stampede]]. When the children you buy books for are getting their own, it'll be time to point them to [[Colony by J A Henderson]] which features more ants. Tenuous, I know...

{{amazontext|amazon=0192729357}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7795600}}

{{commenthead}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:41, 14 September 2020
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	The series started with [[S.W.I.T.C.H: Spider Stampede by Ali Sparkes and Ross Collins\|Spider Stampede]]. When the children you buy books for are getting their own, it'll be time to point them to [[Colony by J A Henderson]] which features more ants. Tenuous, I know...		The series started with [[S.W.I.T.C.H: Spider Stampede by Ali Sparkes and Ross Collins\|Spider Stampede]]. When the children you buy books for are getting their own, it'll be time to point them to [[Colony by J A Henderson]] which features more ants. Tenuous, I know...
		+
		+	[[Ali Sparkes S.W.I.T.C.H series in Chronological Order]]

	{{amazontext\|amazon=0192729357}}		{{amazontext\|amazon=0192729357}}

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 And so the fun series reaches a pause.  There will be more - many more, perhaps, if Petty Potts the unusual scientific genius manages to go through the species as she intends - but for now there's a small hiatus in the publication of these little volumes.  And I won't be the only young(-at heart) reader regretting that.  Sparkes can only manage compelling and addictive series, and it's down to the rest of us to match her abilities with our skill at rationing the books, or in our patience.  Sadly, I feel she has won out over us all...
-I must thank the author and her publishers for my review copies.
+I must thank the author and her publishers for my review copies. We also have a review of [[Lizard Loopy by Ali Sparkes]].
 The series started with [[S.W.I.T.C.H: Spider Stampede by Ali Sparkes and Ross Collins|Spider Stampede]].  When the children you buy books for are getting their own, it'll be time to point them to [[Colony by J A Henderson]] which features more ants.  Tenuous, I know...

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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack
 |author=Ali Sparkes
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date=February 2011
 |isbn=978-0192729354
-|website=
+|cover=0192729357
-|video=
+|aznuk=0192729357
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192729357</amazonuk>
+|aznus=0192729357
 }}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{infobox
 |title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack
 |author=Ali Sparkes
 |reviewer=John Lloyd
@@ Line 9: / Line 8: @@
 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=128
 |publisher=OUP
@@ Line 35: / Line 30: @@
 The series started with [[S.W.I.T.C.H: Spider Stampede by Ali Sparkes and Ross Collins|Spider Stampede]].  When the children you buy books for are getting their own, it'll be time to point them to [[Colony by J A Henderson]] which features more ants.  Tenuous, I know...
-{{amazontext|amazon=0192729357}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7795600}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0192729357}}
 {{commenthead}}

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 |sort=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant Attack
 |author=Ali Sparkes
-|reviewer=John lloyd
+|reviewer=John Lloyd
 |genre=Confident Readers
 |summary=This time the twins become ants - and female ones too.  Can they survive the horrid boy up the road - and some nasty brainwashing?