Customer Reviews

Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Deep down, everyone dreams of the day that their birthday wishes come true and this story is a great way to embellish that. Amanda in Arabia - The Perfume Flask is a fast paced, edge-of-your-seat adventure. The chapters were short, easy to read and flowed smoothly into one another. These are all admirable features in a great children's chapter book. Apart from being technically well written, Amanda's adventure includes things that children of all ages can identify with; family, friends, mystery and fantasy. Even though Amanda in Arabia was written for children, I quickly discovered that I couldn't put it down and was intrigued from beginning to end. A lovely reminder that we are all children at heart.


The following review is from my 7 year old son:

Just like I was there!

I liked reading Amanda in Arabia - The Perfume Flask. It was really cool that Amanda met a real princess and got to ride on a camel. I could feel myself in the United Arab Emirates. My favourite part was when Amanda was riding Ali Baba to go find Princess Shamza because I could feel the excitement in my body like I was doing the same thing. It was easy to read and the story flowed. The only part that was confusing was I didn't know if the guys in the Jeep were good guys or bad guys. But that didn't matter too much to the story. I would like it if my cousin could read it because I think she would like it, too.

Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask is an engagging read. Almost immediately I found myself caring about what happened to Amanda and the more I read the more I wanted to be immeresed in the exotic landspace that Darlene Foster deftly paints. Once you start reading, Amanda in Arabia is hard to put down.

Very good. Every once in a while I like to pick up a children's book, and be whisked back to childhood. This was one of those books. Darlene Foster did a great job setting the scene in the UAE for 12 year old Amanda to have an unique adventure while visiting her Aunt and Uncle. I read this book in one sitting. Definitely recommended for young boys and girls who like to pretend, and want to have an adventure. Would love to read more of Amanda's journeys abroad.

I received this book for review from the author. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.

I read this book aloud to my children. This is a chapter book that is recommended for ages 8-12. It is the first in a series about a 12 year-old Canadian girl named Amanda, whose adventures take her around the globe.

In Amanda in Arabia: The Perfume Flask, Amanda travels sans parents to visit her aunt and uncle in the United Arab Emirates. She meets a British girl, Leah, whose mother works with Amanda's aunt and also lives in the same building. While out shopping with Leah, a merchant tells Amanda that he has something special for her and shows her a beautiful perfume flask which he says was owned by a princess. Later, Amanda's uncle takes her to a camel ranch, where Amanda gets to ride a camel named Ali Baba. It turns out that both Ali Baba and the perfume flask were both owned by Princess Shamza, who needed to sell her possessions because she ran away from home after her father arranged her marriage to a wealthy older gentleman. Princess Shamza had already fallen in love with Mohammed, who worked for her father, and did not want to marry the man that her father had selected for her. Amanda helps to reunite Ali Baba with his mistress so that she and Mohammed can leave the country to marry.

I loved the cultural detail that Foster added to the story, which really drew me in. The topic of arranged marriages sparked further discussions with my elder daughter who is 9 years old.

As a parent, I would have rather seen the story take a different direction: Instead of Amanda helping Princess Shamza to run away with Mohammed, I would have rather seen Amanda act in some way as a liaison between the Princess and her father to help repair their relationship. I would have liked to have seen her father so overwhelmed in his sadness and grief at the loss of his beloved daughter that he would give anything, even call off the arranged marriage, to have his daughter back. I would have loved for her father to place his daughter's happiness above all else and allow her to marry the boy she had already fallen in love with, despite the fact that he was of a lower social class. I could not tell my daughter that it was alright in these circumstances for the Princess to disobey her father and to run away to be with another boy! I struggled with the moral aspects of the story.

Overall, I did enjoy the story but feel that more could have been done with it given the seriousness of the subject matter. I would rather have seen the book extended with a more complex storyline that included some resolution to the familial strife. My 9 year-old also enjoyed the story but she, too, wanted to learn more about Princess Shamza's future and was sad that the Princess felt that she had to leave her family in order to be happy.

I would be remiss if I failed to point out the gorgeous cover! I was immediately drawn to it when I saw it, and the photos wholly capture the cultural feel of the story.

MY RATING: 3 stars!

This little book is the first in an adventure series for children. It is an enjoyable way to learn about the UAE - the United Arab Emirates - without being there to do it.

Canadian author Darlene Foster has written an entertaining and educational book that gives the reader insight into life in the UAE. She has created a believable character, twelve-year-old Amanda Ross, whose desire to travel leads to the amazing opportunity to leave Canada for a month's vacation with relatives living in the far away Arabian country. Not long after her arrival, Amanda purchases a perfume flask that mysteriously was saved just for her. She soon discovers why as she is thrust into an exciting adventure on a secret mission she will never forget.

This story was written for preteen readers, but is one anyone would enjoy. Darlene writes vivid pictures, masterfully delivering descriptive insights into the lifestyle of the people of the United Arab Emirates with its rugged desert regions, while drawing the reader into a memorable adventure.

This may be the book to start a child on a journey through the written word, especially since it is the beginning of a series. The second book is just out, but start with this one. And be sure to read it for yourself!

Is your child ready for intrigue, action and adventure? Then Amanda in Arabia- The Perfume Flask, is the right pick for them. Darlene Foster has written an adorable book for ages 6-10 years. Published by ireadiwrite, it is a middle grade read of 107 pages. The author supplied me with a book to review and now I'm passing it on to my readers in a giveaway! Find Darlene on twitter @supermegawoman and online at [...] .


The Story- 12 year old Amanda Ross travels from her home in Canada to visit her Aunt and Uncle in the United Arab Emirates. While shopping in a street market she is given an antique perfume flask and told that it is only for her.
Her adventures in the hot, sandy UEA begin. She joins with her new friend Leah on a camel adventure to rescue a lost princess and unite two people in love.
My Thoughts- This is a delightful book full of spunk and sass. Little Amanda is a joy, who often sounds wiser than her young years. The coolest part is the history and culture present on the pages. The author does a great job of mixing in fact with fiction that allows a child to explore a new place and not feel that information is being shoved at them.
The mystery in the book is simple enough that even younger readers can follow along without struggle. Plus, there are bad guys, sand storms and romance for older readers. I especially like the camels. Amanda is really in sync with camels and it comes out in Darlene's writing with humor and wit.
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