Mo's Mischief series (Hongying Yang)

As the synopsis from Amazon says for Pesky Monkeys, 'Chinese boys can be Horrid too! Join in the fun as Mo-Shen Ma and his mischievous father run riot through school and home. There's no trouble they can't get into -- or out of! Every book in the Mo's Mischief series is packed with hilarious adventures -- and a unique insight into modern Chinese life.'

These books are a funny and vivid read. I almost leapt as high as Mo used to leap when he was a baby after seeing them on display in Foyles.

Indeed, the characters are so like real people and become your friends so quickly that it doesn't matter if you read the books out of order.

9/10

[It was a little odd to see these books in English because I've read them in Chinese: like reading the Chinese translation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - it took me a while to work out that a certain Miaoli was in fact Hermione. But it only took a few pages for the English version to come alive. Good job, translator.]

Bad movies

I thought it would be idea to watch
100 Worst-Reviewed Films of All Time. I thought of this while banging my head against the monitor at work. Now I'm sat down with lucky number 13, Epic Movie, and banging my head against the monitor at home.

I think I'm a part-time masochist.

Got number 9, The Master of Disguise, lined up next.

Returns

Went to a production talk yesterday. Although it turned out to be more book-orientated and not so much related to the type of publishing I'm in, I found some aspects fascinating.
The speaker from HarperCollins had the best solution for returns that I've heard of so far: give them to charities that work in, for example, Africa. No loss for booksellers, and much less waste.

So You Want to Be a Wizard (Diane Duane)

[Nita enters, running. Bullies follow. Nita hides in a library.]
Cover of a children's book: So You Want to Be a Wizard
Nita: Yes, but it won't happen.

It happens.

Things I liked:
1. One of the main characters is a white hole called Fred. He's brave, sensitive, caring, and when he hiccups, he emits a blue Mercedes and solid gold.
2. The scene when the Eldest, a dragon forgetful with age, struggles to recount what's in his horde.

Things that made me groan:
1. Bullies. Or rather, both Nita and Kit (male protagonist) were bullied at school.
2. Having Androcles and the lion 2.0 shoved down my throat.

Lesson learned:
1. Lotus Esprits are the coolest cars. Ever.

Question raised:
1. Who on earth OKed this cover? Kit's pose is especially awkward, but both of them look less like wizards walking on air than photoshopped tourists (in front of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, and now, presenting the New York skyline edition...)

All in all, if I hadn't skimmed through some passages from the middle of the book first, I might have given up on page 12. Glad I didn't. Sort of.
6.5/10

So You Want to Be a Wizard
Diane Duane

Sex and the City (Movie)

It all becomes clear... That unidentified sitting object on SJP's head really is very tongue-in-cheek. Carrie wore a bird on her head, therefore SJP had to wear peacock parts. Very tongue-in-cheek, I'm sure.

Lessons learned from the movie:
1. Toilet humour is suitable for all ages.
2. Four-letter passwords are not secure.

Question raised:
1. Who made that sushi in my lunchbox?

All in all, predictable, and predictably enjoyable.
8/10