#MG Review: Malory Towers Mystery Club Kidnap at Midnight by Fleur Hitchcock, illustrated by Hannah Peck

Cover art by Hannah Peck, published by Hachette, 10 September 2026,
ISBN: 978-1444985337

As someone who grew up reading the original Enid Blyton Malory Towers series, as well as being a long-standing fan of Fleur Hitchcock’s middle grade mysteries, I was very excited to read this newly published title, inspired by an old favourite. And what fun it is! All the classic elements are there; the swimming pool carved from the rocks, the lacrosse pitches, and the same cast of teachers, but enhanced by an international cast of new first-formers and a mystery to solve!

We meet the central character Emma, daughter of a former Malory Towers pupil, on her journey to join the iconic Cornish boarding school. The action begins almost instantly, when the family’s car is run off the road by a speeding lorry. Thankfully, Mum, Dad and Emma are shaken but uninjured, and Emma arrives into the first-year ‘dormy’ only slightly late, where she meets her new classmates and immediately makes friends with horse-loving Sheila and bookish Marie. Despite the bickering between identical twins Nancy and Judith, the first form seem to settle in quickly and get along well, apart from Margaret who appears stressed, disappears frequently and often becomes irritable with the other girls. Emma, Marie and Sheila sense a mystery and decide to try following Margaret to see what she is up to. When a strange couple are spotted near the swimming pool and soon afterwards the horses are set loose from the school stables, their sleuthing takes on a more serious challenge.

School life at Malory Towers encompasses more than the regular curriculum when a plot to sabotage one young rider’s ambitions for international equestrian stardom comes to the attention of the young sleuths. This story holds all the threads that middle grade readers need in a mystery; red herrings, crooks who will stop at nothing to achieve their dastardly aim, and brave girls who will risk everything for their friends. The story flows at a cracking pace, with short chapters which are intermittently illustrated with Hannah Peck’s stylish grayscale illustrations. The book is just under 200 pages in length, making it an achievable and enjoyable read for children aged 8 and above. This is definitely a book which I would recommend to primary school librarians and to classroom teachers throughout key stage 2. I would also suggest that if, like me, you grew up reading the Enid Blyton Malory Towers stories, you might want to purchase this book for a young relative with whom you can then have a lovely bookish conversation.

I borrowed this book from my wonderful local public library, although I will be buying copies for young relatives! All opinions are my own.

#AudioBook Review: Monsieur Mustard The Disappearance of Fabio Fangtooth by Charley Rabbit, read by Ciaran Saward

Screenshot from audiobook, artwork by Charley Rabbit, published by Bolinda Audio, 3 June 2026,
ISBN: 978-1038054326

Monsieur Mustard the Disappearance of Fabio Fangtooth is a welcome and hugely enjoyable addition to the detective fiction genre, written for children aged 7 years and above. In this first adventure, we meet the debonair mouse detective as he arrives in the city of Bath, an event which makes the front page of the local newspaper. It is not long before the world famous detective is called into action to investigate the mysterious disappearance of celebrity restauranteur Fabio Fangtooth, who disappeared from his city restaurant after closing time the previous evening. In the course of his investigations, Monsieur Mustard finds a series of clues which seem to have been deliberately left for him…but are they red herrings or will they lead to the real criminal?

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this story which was expertly read by Ciaran Saward, and which I was able to borrow from my local public library service. I think that the cast which comprises entirely of animal characters, each with distinctive personalities, will be very appealing for the target audience. There is a great deal of humour (I have no doubt that many children will find Monsieur Mustard’s rather flatulent assistant very funny) and clever word play, along with a thoroughly engaging plot which young sleuths are likely to enjoy trying to unravel. Personally, I loved that one of the kidnapped animals that the world famous detective is trying to track down, is apparently the owner of a lovely bookshop which I have visited many times!

Although I listened to this story as an audiobook, I believe that the printed format, published by Andersen Press, is a hybrid of illustrated text fiction interspersed with graphic novel pages, which I am sure would make it a book which independent readers will find appealing. If you are an adult fan of the Hercule Poirot detective novels, I would suggest that you will enjoy reading this story aloud to young relatives, or to a class or group of children in a school or library setting, and perhaps setting them on their way to becoming fans of the genre too.

Disclaimer: This was a borrowed audiobook, it was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#Picture Book Review: The Star Tree by Luosha Liu

Cover art by Luosha Liu, published by Post Wave Books 3 September 2026,
ISBN: 978-1836270881

The Star Tree is a beautiful graphic novel story for young children, the first in The Starlit Forest series. For Chinese-born creator Luosha Liu, this is the first comic book that she has both written and illustrated, and I was astonished to learn that she is a self-taught illustrator after initially study economics.

The book begins with a beautiful map of The Starlit Forest, with the Star Tree growing in the centre. We see that the Star Tree is adored by many forest creatures, and most of all by a little mouse named Ellie. Then one day the tree starts producing stars, which is exciting at first but then threatens to overwhelm the forest and its inhabitants. The animals try all sorts of tactics to manage the thousands of stars being produced by the tree, all unsuccessfully. Some voices are calling for the tree to be chopped down before the stars bury the entire forest, while the wise owl is trying to recall an ancient story about the Star Tree and its behaviour. Meanwhile, Ellie is determined that no harm should befall her favourite tree. But how will she convince her animal friends that the stars should be seen as a benefit, not a threat? You will have to read this gentle story to discover the answer.

The Star Tree, with its autumnal colour palette, is a gorgeous book to add to primary school classrooms or libraries as October begins. The story is gentle and hopeful, and the cute animal characters are likely to appeal to readers aged 6 years and above. Not only can they follow the story systematically through the comic-style panels, but the publisher has printed the text in an easy to read, lower case font which will make the reading process easier for this age group than the traditional all-capitalised speech bubbles usually used in comics and graphic novels.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Susan Barry and Post Wave Publishing for sending me a copy of The Star Tree. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#Non-fiction Review – Mermaid of the Deep: the acquatic adventures of Dr Sylvia Earle by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Khoa Le

Cover art by Khoa Le, published by Post Wave, 24 September 2026,
ISBN: 978-1836270553

Mermaid of the Deep is a visually stunning, picture book biography of American ocean explorer Dr Sylvia Earle, written by Australian journalist-author Leisa Stewart-Sharpe. The story of Sylvia Earle’s life is told in simple, accessible paragraphs which accompany the striking artwork, created by a combination of digital and traditional techniques by Vietnam-based artist Khoa Le.

We learn that Sylvia spent her childhood fascinated by the ocean before learning to scuba dive so that she could pursue a career as a scientist of the sea. She became the only woman on an international marine research ship, then the first woman to actually walk on the seabed, and led a crew of female researchers on a two-week stay in a research station based on the ocean floor. Her bravery and curiosity seem to know no bounds, and the more that she observed the ocean and its inhabitants, the more she felt the need to tell the world about the damage that was being done to this vast eco-system by human behaviour. All of this was achieved at a time when there were many barriers to women who wished to pursue scientific careers; Dr Sylvia Earle is presented as a true ‘aquanaut’ pioneer, and a scientist who has led the way in protecting the ocean by creating ‘Hope Spots’ that work like underwater national parks.

Mermaid of the Deep is a wonderful example of narrative non-fiction which shows primary school children the astonishing achievements possible when an individual single-mindedly pursues their passion. I am sure that most children will not have heard of Dr Sylvia Earle prior to picking up this book, but will finish it feeling truly inspired. The artwork depicts the fascinating ocean creatures about which we still have so much to learn. I have to admit that the darkness of the pages that describe Dr Sylvia’s work on the ocean floor sent a shiver down my spine; I hope that all readers will be awestruck by, and grateful to, the scientists who have explored this most alien environment on our planet.

I am hugely impressed by the quality of both the content and the production of this hardback book. I love the way that publisher Post Wave Books is bringing international stories, written and illustrated by international creatives, to the UK market. This book would be an excellent addition to the STEM collections of primary school libraries or classrooms, and would make a lovely gift for any child aged 6 years and above who is curious about the natural world.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Post Wave Books for sending me a copy of Mermaid of the Deep. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#MG Fiction Review: The Moonlight Dragon by Liz Flanagan

Cover art by Melissa Castrillón, published by Fox & Ink Books, 1 October 2026, ISBN: 978-1917894173

The Moonlight Dragon is the latest children’s book written by Liz Flanagan, and in my opinion will suit a readership which sits perfectly between two of her previous series that I have enjoyed the Wildsmith stories and the Dragon Daughter series (I will include links to my reviews at the end of this post). The Moonlight Dragon is a standalone novel which is pitched for middle grade readers who love fantasy adventure, are ready to move on from illustrated fiction, but who are looking for a shorter novel that the traditional 300-400 page fantasies. This author is such an accomplished storyteller, that she has woven a thoroughly satisfying, action-packed, warm-hearted, adventure in under 200 pages…and there are dragons!

The story centres on Luna, who along with her father and many other folk from the countryside, has been displaced to the city as a result of famine. During the migration, her mother was separated from the family and now Luna visits a stone circle outside the fortified city on every full moon in the hope that her mother will appear. The book begins with Luna witnessing hunters shooting a dragon from the sky on one of these night-time vigils. When she subsequently finds the abandoned baby dragon in a nearby cave, she risks putting her own and the kingdom’s future in peril, if the king’s prophecy is to be believed!

Luna is a beautifully written character; brave, curious and sympathetic. The juxtaposition of the loss of her own mother, with that of the baby dragon, Spark, is finely drawn so that young readers can easily grasp the theme of empathy. She teams up with Tobi, the fearful young prince and Elodie, the daughter of the palace librarian, to take care of Spark and investigate the ancient tomes in the library to try to discover where and when the hatred of dragons arose in the kingdom. Their adventure is thrilling, laced with just the right amount of jeopardy and also has moments of humour, mainly featuring the adorable Spark. There is something about Liz Flanagan’s writing, which I do not have the language to describe, other than to say she makes reading such a pleasure because the story just flows and carries you along on the journey. I think that this is such an important quality for middle grade stories because it encourages children to keep reading rather than getting distracted into another activity. She also very subtly includes themes of environmental damage, social injustice and rewilding into the subtext, which form a very natural part of the narrative without ever seeming didactic. I would highly recommend The Moonlight Dragon for readers aged 8 years and above, who love nature, dragons and fantasy adventures; this is definitely a book to add to primary school library and Key Stage 2 classroom collections.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to Janet at Fox & Ink Books for sending me a copy of The Moonlight Dragon. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

My reviews of Liz Flanagan’s illustrated fiction series for younger readers:

Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest

Wildsmith: City of Secrets

Wildsmith: The Hidden Sea

My reviews of Liz Flanagan’s books for slightly older middle grade/young teen readers:

Dragon Daughter

Rise of the Shadow Dragons

The Pirate’s Dragon

#Illustrated Fiction Review: The Adventures of Sweet Boo Finding a Father by Taylor Dolan

Cover art by Taylor Dolan, published by Guppy Books, 15 October 2026,
ISBN: 9781916558335

The Adventures of Sweet Boo Finding a Father is a kooky, strikingly illustrated story, presented in a glorious two-colour format. With spooky season fast approaching, this cute tale of a little ghost who suddenly realises that she wants a father, will be a fun addition to book choices for readers aged 6 years and above. This book is part of the mini-guppy series, the smaller format makes it easy for little hands to hold and the short chapters and minimal text make the reading experience easy for newly independent readers.

Much of the story telling is done by the pictures, which are cartoon-like in style. Sweet Boo’s ghost existence does not have too many complications. She does not like being mistaken for a pillow, she is wary of vacuum cleaners, and milk has a terrible effect on her. However, one day she spots a display in a shop window and decides that she really needs to find a father. Unfortunately, her criteria for the perfect dad are entirely influenced by the image of the shop mannequin and it takes her a while to find out what is really important in choosing a perfect dad. There is a heart-warming moment when she finally spots a great example, swiftly followed by a funny twist at the end which I suspect is a hint at a further adventure for Sweet Boo. This is a good choice for primary school librarians looking to add some early chapter books into their reading-for-pleasure Halloween choices.

Author and illustrator Taylor Dolan is based in the US, and the artwork, especially the cityscapes viewed through the windows certainly gave me American vibes. I have previously reviewed the Ghost Scouts series by this same author, also published by Guppy Books in the UK.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to Guppy Books for sending me a copy of The Adventures of Sweet Boo Finding a Father prior to publication on 15 October 2026. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#Early Chapter Book Review: The Secret Pine Marten by Holly Webb, illustrated by David Dean

Cover art by David Dean, published by Little Tiger Press, 3 September 2026, ISBN: 978-1788958042

Holly Webb’s animal stories are an absolute essential for primary school library and classroom collections for children who have become independent readers and need a choice of enjoyable books, with gentle storytelling, relatable characters and engaging animal content. They are generally about 150 pages in length, with short chapters and the text broken up with black and white illustrations (by David Dean) which makes them achievable to read independently, thus helping children aged 6/7 and above to build confidence with their reading.

The Secret Pine Marten is very enjoyable and provides some interesting facts about a British mammal which I expect many young readers will not be familiar with. The story is set in a Devon village where Nancy, her parents, aunt and uncle and new baby cousin have hired a cottage in which to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. The cottage backs onto some woodland, and after hearing tales of pixies during the car journey, Nancy is keen to explore, in the hope that magical creatures might possibly exist. As she sits quietly below an old tree, she does spot a curious little face with pointed ears, unlike anything she has ever seen before, and later, a conversation with the neighbour from the adjoining cottage informs her that she has seen a pine marten. Nancy is enamoured of this mischievous-looking animal and spends as much time as possible in the wintery woods, where she starts to become aware of the presence of a girl who looks similar in age to herself but seems to be dressed in old-fashioned clothing and speaks like someone from a historical story. The time-slip element of the story shows Nancy (and the reader) the different attitudes to wildlife that existed in Victorian England, and brings a layer of excitement and jeopardy to the story as Nancy and Anne try to outwit Anne’s game-keeper father.

I really enjoyed The Secret Pine Marten, and think that young readers will be fascinated by Kit the pine marten and the themes of folklore, nature and rewilding. Holly Webb writes with great care for her young readership. providing a story with interesting content, lovely descriptions of the natural environment and strong characters. The Secret Pine Marten is a super book to put into the hands of young readers who like either animal stories or historical fiction.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to publicist Finn at Little Tiger Press for sending me a copy of The Secret Pine Marten. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#PictureBook Review: How to Survive on a Desert Island by Lorenzo Coltellacci and Alice Ourghanlian

Cover art by Alice Ourghanlian, published by Post Wave Publishing, 20 August 2026,
ISBN: 978-1836272038

Each time I receive a package from Post Wave Publishing my heart leaps because I know that I will always find an extraordinary book inside the envelope. I love that they acquire the best picture books published by international authors and translate them for an English-speaking audience, thereby bringing stories which are visually and culturally interesting. This wonderful story, How to Survive on a Desert Island, is written by Italian comic book and graphic novel author Lorenzo Coltellacci and illustrated by French artist and author Alice Ourghanlian.

It is a visually stunningly story in which the artwork does most of the storytelling, accompanied by minimal text to move the story forward. It is so imaginative, with a simple concept which is strikingly presented in a beautiful, hardback 32 page picture book. I really enjoyed the fact that the glorious endpapers contribute to the narrative, depicting the power of the bedtime story. After asking the reader if they have ever wondered if they would survive on a desert island, the story goes on to show that all you need is actually one book! It is not clear whether the two characters are a mother and toddler or two sisters, but the story shows them meeting all the challenges of life on a desert island with their red book taking on the duties of a tent, an exercise weight, a hang-glider, a meal, a hat, a raft and local wildlife. It even provides reading material for those moments when relaxation is needed! The pictures offer so many lovely details to explore with a young child, providing opportunity for conversation and vocabulary building; this is a book which would be enjoyed multiple times. I adored the double page spread of a very European-looking fishing village, with beautifully coloured wooden houses and people going about their daily activities. I also loved a very enticing picture of some fully-loaded home bookshelves!

I would highly recommend How to Survive on a Desert Island to anyone who wants to share an imaginative book with a child aged 2-5 years-of-age. I am certain it would be a very popular addition to home, nursery/pre-school and primary school book collections.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Post Wave Publishing for sending me a copy of How to Survive on a Desert Island. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#GraphicNovel Review: The Gumdrops Main Character Energy written and illustrated by Elissa Elwick

Cover art by Elissa Elwick, published by Little Tiger Press, 3 September 2026,
ISBN: 978-1788957915

The Gumdrops Main Character Energy is a super-appealing graphic novel for children aged 5-8 years-of-age, set in an imaginary land populated by cute characters, and is designed to fuel young imaginations. For a start, the cover has massive shelf-appeal with its sparkly text and highlights, and bright, shiny surface; I cannot believe that it will sit on library shelves or displays for long before being picked up by eager little hands. Then, just inside, you find a colourfully illustrated map of Yummy Gummy Land where the Gumdrops live.

The four Gumdrops: Hope, Bubbles, Sparky and Rainbow welcome the reader (who they have decided to name Baked Potato) into their magical land, and throughout the story they, and the narrator break the 4th wall and talk directly to the reader. This direct address works very well, especially as the characters are encouraging children to use their own imaginations to help Bowie, a young Bat Bear, to re-write his story. The magical journey into a book encourages youngsters to think about characters, setting and plot in the context of a colourfully entertaining story. The interactivity also takes the form of waving different items as magic wands, blowing the smoke away from a page, navigating a maze, shouting, and even having a go at following step-by-step instructions to draw one of the characters.

In my opinion, The Gumdrops Main Character Energy will be a wonderful addition to graphic novel collections in primary school libraries, classrooms and in homes. Elissa Elwick’s artistic skills brilliantly portray her ideas and will engage children in Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2, prompting them to let their imaginations run wild with creativity. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to expand their graphic novel, reading for pleasure collections.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of The Gumdrops Main Character Energy by Little Tiger Press. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#MG Fiction Review: Jekyll vs Hyde The Potion of Doom by Jack Meggitt-Phillips, illustrated by Holly Swain

Cover art by Holly Swain, published by Farshore, 24 September 2026, ISBN: 978-0008776947

Jekyll vs Hyde The Potion of Doom is a very funny story based on the classic novel and intended for a middle grade readership. Author, Jack Meggitt-Phillips, has a talent for creating characters who behave appallingly but who draw you into their world, and Henrik Jekyll is a character that I am sure will appeal to primary school children. He is the extremely entitled and spoiled son of parents whose personalities are so completely opposite to each other that they separated shortly after he was born. However, they continue to share the same house, adore their only son, and compete to be his favourite parent, hence his selfish, stubborn and demanding actions.

The family’s unharmonious existence is interrupted by the arrival of a young girl, dressed in an oversized suit, announcing herself to be Gabby Utterson, representing her dad as the family’s new lawyer. She is bearing the last will and testament of Dr Jekyll, which identifies Henrik as the sole heir to his fortune and the family mansion Jekyll Manor in the town of Gothville. Despite the derelict nature of the house, the sad appearance of Gothville and the threats issued by local resident and agitator, Lady Deadlock, Henrik is determined to move into the new home, especially when he learns of the rumoured Hyde potion. He cannot rest until he discovers the whereabouts of Dr Jekyll’s hidden laboratory and the recipe for the magical potion which promises to turn him into the best possible version of himself. While he schemes and plots to wield ultimate power, Henrik can’t help himself from going along with some of Gabby’s more altruistic plans to improve the local environment, and even at his darkest moments, he can’t stop thinking about her. Will he ever give in to his better feelings and find friendship, or will his alter-ego Eddie Hyde cause chaos and destruction to all that might be dear to him? I am certain that many readers aged 9 years and above will enjoy finding the answers in this book which combines humour with a gothic sensibility.

My advance proof copy on which this review is based had spaces marked out throughout the book for illustrations, and judging by the front and back cover art, and Holly Swain’s picture books that I have had the pleasure of reading, I am sure that the artwork will complement the story perfectly. I would highly recommend that school librarians and primary school teachers add Jekyll vs Hyde The Potion of Doom to their reading for pleasure collections, I am sure that it will be a popular choice all year round, and particularly as we approach Halloween and the spooky book displays are organised.

Disclaimer: I am grateful to publicist Chris at Farshore Books for sending me an advance proof copy of this book ahead of publication on 24 September 2026. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.