You Choose - Maze of Doom / The Haunting of Spook House by George Ivanoff
Published by Random House Australia
As a child I loved the Choose Your Adventure series by R. M. Montgomery and as a librarian I am constantly being asked by children and parents for similar, so it was with great delight I started reading George Ivanoff’s You Choose stories.
The stories are in the typical format of the reader choosing until the reader comes to the end at which point they can go back and choose a different path or retrace their steps and go on another adventure. This format gives the reader a chance to have an input into the story and the adventure albeit within the confines of the authors’ offerings.
The cover of the book says it all ‘Two action-packed stories, hundreds of different choices. Flip me’ and that’s what I did. I started with Maze of Doom which took me into a carnival side show maze where I encountered Madame Zoltar, the fortune teller, a young girl named Xanda and a fire-breathing dragon. I was tied up, chased by two minotaurs and found a treasure box. I survived once, was killed by a horseman and found that it was all a dream and that was just the first four readings.
With visions of ghosts and things that go bump in the night I started on The Haunting of Spook House and it wasn’t long before the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. Spiders loomed in every corner, a gnarly old woman screeched and doors slammed on their own but with help from the police and a few friends, things work out in the end, well they did in one version.
The language is very descriptive, the pages are well set out and easy to follow the chosen path and expressive pencil drawings are placed intermittently throughout the book. With enticing covers, You choose… by George Ivanoff is an exciting new addition to the genre of Choose your own adventures and I highly recommend this to readers aged 8+.
Parents will also enjoy reading this series out loud and participating in the adventure.
CKT Book Reviewer
Author: George Ivanoff
Title: You Choose - Maze of Doom / The Haunting of Spook House
Publisher: Random House Australia
ISBN: 9780857989536
Published: December 2015
Age: 7+
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Writing can be a lonely profession. By necessity, you need to work alone much of the time. But it is wonderful to have a website which eases that by connecting creators with each other and with a wealth of information and resources.
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'If there's anything emerging authors struggle with (beyond the dreaded writer's block), it's receiving recognition or even acknowledgment of their work – battling for a slice of that incredibly elusive publishing pie. Georgie Donaghey has created a priceless promotional and networking station that allows new authors to not only share their work, but gain the courage and nous to take their work to a whole new level. Creative Kids Tales is a valuable addition to Australia's burgeoning children's book market.' - 
'Congratulations to Georgie Donaghey for her hard work and enthusiasm in setting up a site that has been sorely needed to promote current Australian children's writing. Not just for the established, but for up and coming, Creative Kids Tales showcases talent and provides information essential for anyone in the industry.' - www.enterprisingwords.com.au
'Once you find an easily-accessible, up-to-date and vibrant source of writing help and encouragement, you should value it and use it! Thanks to Creative Kids Tales, that’s all available, just with the tap of your finger: 
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'Wow! Creative Kids Tales is a fantastic resource for writers, no matter what stage of their writing journey they are at. Congratulations, Georgie, on your attractive, easy-to-navigate website, your generosity to your fellow writers and your constantly evolving ideas. Thanks on behalf of all of us.' - 
'The thing I like about the Creative Kids Tales website is that the authors come across as real people who face the same problems that beginning writers do and that there’s plenty of practical advice.' - 
'Creative Kids Tales contributes a wonderful sense of community to the Australian kids’ book scene, from sharing insightful interviews, to writing competitions and now a conference. It’s a great organisation to follow online and be a part of!'
'Thanks for being such a strong advocate for children’s literature, the power of stories, and reading.
'Creative Kids Tales is ambitious, specific and professional - the Top Tips section alone is a must-read for every aspiring children's writer.' - 
'I stumbled on to Creative Kids Tales by accident. I thought it was kid's tails. I'd been doing some research about goats and how their tails were actually a fifth leg, a very long time ago. Or did I just dream that? In any case, I was bitterly disappointed at first to find not tails, but tales. However, while I was at the site I had a wander around, and soon discovered that it was even better than a goat's site - no kidding! This is a brilliant haven for writers, new and not so new; a place to showcase their work and to learn from others.' Well done, Georgie. You've done a fantastic job. - www.enterprisingwords.com.au
'Creative Kids Tales is an awesome resource you should totally check it out.' - 
'I wish Creative Kids Tales had been around when I was first starting out! What a brilliant way to connect with other authors and find out about the lovely world of kids books.' 'Go Georgie! I think you're amazing.' - 
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'Creative Kids Tales is such a great website for navigating this industry – not just for authors and illustrators, but for parents and teachers and librarians and publishers and kids and storytellers of all sorts. It’s awesome!' - 
'This site is such a wonderful resource for writers and illustrators at every stage of the journey. I've learned more about some of my favourite people in children's literature here, but also had the joy of discovering whole new worlds of talent.' - 
'What a wonderful website Creative Kids Tales is, supporting and helping Australian authors in their quest through the dark thorny forest of the publishing world. Georgie should be congratulated for all her hard work and fearless leadership!' - 
Creative Kids Tales offers a brilliant platform for established and emerging creators to keep in touch and learn from each other. That is a great thing for this most isolated of all professions (apart from On-site Antarctic Penguin Imitators). - 
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What a terrific, enthusiastic, informative and creative resource - of value and interest to so many people.
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'Creative Kids Tales has inspired, encouraged and supported not only the published, but also us hopefuls still learning the ways of the publishing world. Thanks for providing not only an amazing site to scroll and learn through, but also providing friendship and a real sense of chasing our dreams.' - 
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'Creative Kids Tales is a treasure trove of resources and insights, compiled with dedication and enthusiasm. A wonderful resource for anyone who is interested in picture books and children's literature.' - 
'This is a great website. Nowadays, when getting published is so hard and staying published not much easier, everyone needs all the help they can get. And here's Help with a capital H!' 'Go Georgie! Creative Kids Tales is an inspiration for all writers of children's and YA fiction.' - 
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'Creative Kids tales is the perfect place to go for inspiration and to recharge the creative batteries.'
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'Buckets of thanks to Georgie for creating Creative Kids Tales. There’s a wealth of wonderful information and resources for everyone interested in creating books for kids – and a warm sense of community.'
'Creative Kids Tales deserves all its accolades. Thanks to its creator, the site provides brilliant support, inspiration and encouragement for anyone who loves creating children's books. I have no hesitation in passing on your link.'
'Creative Kids Tales is a unique and valuable online resource for new and established authors. The site provides a wealth of information and insight into the children's writing world.' 'Thanks for all your support, Georgie, and keep up the good work.' - 
'The long-distance marathon of writing, illustrating and publishing usually begins along a very foggy road, in the dark, shoeless. But wait! What's that light on the horizon? A glowing little cafe, full of a bunch other runners plotting out mud-maps on napkins and exchanging anecdotes, warning about ditches and praising short-cuts. Stop for a while, have a cup of tea, maybe even a shoe-fitting, then get yourself back on the road for the long slog to sunrise.' -