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Hazel (1853 KP) rated The One Safe Place in Books

Dec 7, 2018

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Review of an uncorrected bound manuscript.
The One Safe Place is a gripping tale by Tania Unsworth aimed at older children, although completely enjoyable by teens and adults too. Written in the third person and set in the not so distant future, we follow Devin’s story.

In the future the climate has changed, the temperature has risen and rain is very rare. The opening scene reveals Devin, a young boy, on a farm, digging a grave to bury his grandfather who has recently died (presumably of old age and not something sinister). Devin, now alone, decides to head to the city, a place he has never visited, in order to find some help for the farm. The problem is he has never once left the farm and knows nothing of the real world. Here he meets Kit, a young girl on her own living on the roof of a building, and decides to tag along with her. But then they meet Roman who promises them a safe home. Although skeptical, they decide to trust him and thus they arrive at the Gabriel H. Penn Home For Childhood. The place is amazing and has everything a child could want: toys, games, clothes, individual bedrooms, a swimming pool, and most importantly, food and drink. So why are all the other children walking around in limbo, uninterested in everything around them?

Devin, with the help of his friends, and his synesthesia, soon discovers and pieces together what is wrong about the home. The pace picks up as they plan their escape leading to the exciting ending.

The One Safe Place is a book young readers will love. Well what child would not love a book where the children outsmart the adults?

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Planet 51 (2009) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019

Planet 51 (2009)

2009 | Action, Animation, Comedy

6.8

(11 Ratings)

Movie Rating

On a planet far from our own, green creatures are experiencing their own version of the 1950â€™s. Among them is Lem (Justin Long) who has just gotten his first job as an assistant at the local planetarium. When a space ship appears harboring an alien, human astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker (Dwayne Johnson), the fearful locals are not so friendly. It is up to Lem to save the astronaut and help his people learn not to fear the world beyond what they know.

The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of â€œShrekâ€ with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the filmâ€™s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.

Other characters of note are Lemâ€™s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.

â€œPlanet 51â€ is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.

A delightful, animated romp, â€œPlanet 51â€ will make you hope for a groovy 1960â€™s sequel.