Teachpal

Brief summary

Distant memories of the Land of Roar, an imaginary world filled with dragons, ninjas and unicorns, flicker through the minds of twins, Rose and Arthur, as they clear their grandad’s attic. After climbing through a folding bed, we’re whisked away on an action-packed adventure, through a rich tapestry of landscapes, keeping the magic of Roar alive.

My comments

On the face of it, The Land of Roar is a traditional fantasy book, providing a fun escape to a far-away world that would appeal to younger readers, especially as the vocabulary is not too challenging; dig deeper though, and you’ll find a number of messages woven throughout that will resonate with older children too. The importance of holding on to your childhood imagination and creativity features fairly prominently as a theme, making it great for children at the end of primary school. For too many people, growing up means leaving behind adventurous stories for those more grounded in realism, which is such a shame as there’s plenty of time for readers to carry on enjoying both types of stories as they get older.

Jenny McLachlan also acknowledges through this book, how scary it can be for children as they prepare for secondary school. Facing a new environment full of new people is a tough situation to deal with, and it’s understandable that many children would feel as though they are not ready to move on and would rather keep things the way they are in primary school. It’s great for children to know that they’re not alone in worrying about this, so The Land of Roar would make for a wonderful addition to a primary 7 classroom.

As The Land of Roar is set in an imaginary world, Jenny McLachlan has crafted something that truly feels expansive and wide-ranging, but above all else, vibrant. This is a book that paints vivid images in your mind, and bouncing between multiple locations, each with their own unique settings, it refuses to become dull. Complimenting her setting descriptions are fantastic illustrations by Ben Mantle, which do a great job of adding extra fun details to the story, increasing our connection to it. These aren’t quickly drawn illustrations thrown in to break up the text; they’re rich pieces of artwork, each and every one of them.

Vlad picks up speed and I pull myself on to his back as flames and smoke and Crowky’s cries of rage chase after us.

Jenny McLachlan

The brother and sister relationship between Rose and Arthur shows the natural ups and downs all siblings go through, and therefore feels realistic and relatable to children reading the book. This is great for children who may themselves be going through a bad patch with their siblings, as it shows that through all their differences exists an unbreakable bond. The familial bond is extended through to their grandad, who also features in the book. As little old man with asthma, keeping the magic of childhood alive and looking after the grandchildren, he reminds me of my own grandad. From the books I’ve read, it seems fairly uncommon to have siblings and a grandparent both feature, as they’re often built around a single child facing ‘the hero’s journey’ alone, and so it was refreshing to read.

The remaining characters introduced throughout the book, come from the imaginations of the main characters, and as such, Jenny McLachlan has been able to push the boat out when it comes to their traits and personalities. I won’t say much about them, only that I love Win; his ability to zone out and remain care-free, despite everything going on around at times, reminds me of some of the children in my class. His determination, and the enthusiasm and self-confidence he continually shows despite often failing miserably, is heart-warming.

For some children, it can be a struggle finding a book that will hold their attention from start to finish. Books that take a while to get into can often end up our favourites. Take Northern Lights as an example; I have seen children pick the book up, and I’m so excited that they’re about to experience the story that opened my eyes to a new level of storytelling. The next thing you know, they’ve given up on the book before Lyra even gets out of Oxford. I enjoyed reading The Land of Roar and it’d be great for a wide range of readers, but in particular I think it’s fantastic for reluctant readers. Jenny McLachlan has combined short chapters with constantly flowing action, meaning the story hooks readers very quickly and keeps them engaged right until the end.

Class comments

As I’ve mentioned above, this book would be great for a younger class because of the fantasy elements and accessibility, and yet would still fit in brilliantly with an older class, meaning it’ll likely find itself being passed between many children. Thankfully, Egmont put a great deal of effort into printing The Land of Roar properly; the book feels solidly built and should hold up well in a classroom.

I’d like to give Egmont a big thank you for sending me this book. I loved reading it, and my class have too. As I’ve had it for a while, I have a lovely review from one of the children in my class: ‘I have just read The Land of Roar and I love the storyline. My two favourite characters are Arthur and Win. It was really funny when Win magicked up a marshmallow, and the lost girls were in awe. It’s the best book I have ever read! I am so excited for The Return to Roar.’