#MG Fiction Review: Arthur and the Wild Griffin by Luke Marchant, illustrated by Mark Beech

Cover art by Mark Beech, published by Everything With Words,
27 August 2026, ISBN: 978-1911427520

Arthur and the Wild Griffin is an absolute gem of a book; a beautifully written contemporary story bursting with fantasy creatures which is ideal for children aged 7-11. I think it would be perfect for younger siblings of children who are reading the Impossible Creatures series and who want to share in discussions about mythical creatures; similarly it would suit children at the top end of primary school who want a humorous, well-plotted story with strong protagonists but find a 160 page book a more manageable read than a standard length fantasy.

The introduction to Arthur Kingsley and his teacher, Mrs Stricket “a frown in human form” is packed with wry humour and provides a clear impression of Arthur as a kind, animal-loving boy, who perhaps does not share the same priorities about personal appearance as his teacher! He frequently arrives at school in a dishevelled state having given his coat to a wet and shivering dog, or his homework to a chilly sparrow for nest-building purposes, leading to daily detentions. After a particular act of kindness to a garden gnome, Arthur is rewarded with a ticket to the Fantasy Zoo, located a few bamboo thickets down the road from Paignton Zoo. On his way home from a dreadfully bad Friday at school, Arthur uses his gift pass and finds himself emerged in a mythical menagerie where adventure and intrigue await.

Arthur’s unique talents have already helped him to interact positively with two of the fantasy animals when he meets zoo keeper Cordelia, daughter of the zoo’s owner Mr Bumbleweed, a Wonka-esque elf. Both father and daughter have mistaken Arthur for an elf, which is just as well, because the zoo operates on a NO HUMANS policy! Arthur’s empathy with creatures as diverse as a very grumpy bridge troll, and the endlessly squabbling Pegasus and eight-legged Sleipnir, indicate that he cannot possibly be a cruel-hearted human. He is having such a good time at the zoo, where his endless curiosity and problem-solving mind help him to find solutions to formerly insurmountable problems, that he keeps his hood up to hide his human ears and is accepted as an elf. Until he removes his hood…and is demoted from temporary zoo keeper to banishment!

Unfortunately, it is the day before a zoo inspection, which has been sneakily set up by the evil sorceress Morgana Le Fey. She is motivated to get the Fantasy Zoo closed down so that she can inherit its creatures and use them for her own nefarious purposes. With a dangerously aggressive wild griffin on the loose, there might be only one person who can save the zoo, but will he be allowed to help out? I think that independent readers will love this story which is filled with jokes, clever word play and a gripping plot. Arthur and Cordelia make a great central partnership, and the story celebrates kindness, curiosity and courage to be your own person. There are wonderful black and white pencil drawings throughout by Mark Beech which reminded me of Quentin Blake’s style, and which highlight the humour of the story. I would highly recommend Arthur and the Wild Griffin to school librarians, key stage 2 teachers and parents/caregivers who are looking for a funny, fantasy adventure laced with kindness for young independent readers. This is one of those books which is guaranteed to fire children’s imaginations.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Mikka at Everything With Words for sending me a copy of Arthur and the Wild Griffin. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#MG Graphic Novel Review – Detective Baby: Dance Team Drama by Meg Cabot, illustrated by Amelia Allore

cover art by Amelia Allore, published by Harper 360 UK,
24 September 2026, ISBN: 978-0063254961

Detective Baby: Dance Team Drama is the first book in a new graphic novel series written by American author Meg Cabot, who is probably best known for writing The Princess Diaries books. I predict that Detective Baby will be hugely popular with readers aged 10 years and above, it is such an enjoyable book to read, filled with humour and heart. The full-colour artwork by Amelia Allore is beautiful to look at, and combined with Meg Cabot’s text in the comic book panels, present the story in an engaging and accessible format that middle graders and young teens will want to read for pleasure.

The story itself is a novel blend of teenage and toddler antics; entirely captivating, innovative and hilarious. Jenny is the leader of the dance team at middle school, with big ambitions for her dance troupe to reach the national finals of a dance competition. Unfortunately, she has lost the money that her team raised to buy new outfits and now must take on babysitting jobs to replace the lost (or stolen?) cash. Jenny dreads babysitting because she has an unwanted superpower – she can understand baby talk and she really doesn’t want to be bothered by baby problems! When she is hired to look after the notoriously difficult Rosie Woodson, she thinks that life is going to be unbearable, but Rosie turns out to be a super sleuth and is determined to help Jenny track down her missing money. It’s not long before the pint-sized detective is being pushed around the neighbourhood by her teenage sidekick as they try to crack the case of the missing uniform money (as well as tracking down a missing cat).

There is a great cast of side characters many of whom come under suspicion, leading to misunderstandings, embarrassing situations and unlikely alliances. There are many of the tropes of an American middle school drama present: the mean cheerleader and her obnoxious jock brother, a big party to which everyone but the heroine is invited, and a good looking new boy arriving at school. Jenny’s twin brother Dave is a finance whiz, which is something that I have not seen in a middle grade book before, and this added an interesting plot development. Overall, the growing bond and funny interactions between Jenny, Rosie and two other baby accomplices Timmy and Tippy are at the heart of what makes this story so surprising and enjoyable. It is written with great panache by an author at the top of her profession and I highly recommend it to school librarians, teachers and parents/caregivers who are looking to build a collection of pleasurable reads for middle grade and young teen children.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Harper 360 UK for sending me a copy of Detective Baby: Dance Team Drama. It was my decision the write a review and all opinions are my own.

Review: Six Weeks written by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton

Cover image by Joe Todd-Stanton, published by Hachette Children’s Books, 4 June 2026, ISBN: 978-1444982886

I had read plenty of reviews of Six Weeks, written by friends whose opinions I always trust, so I sort of knew what to expect when I picked this book up. However, I was even more impressed than I expected to be, this story is profoundly moving, beautifully written in free verse and is one of the best explorations of male emotions that I have read.

Alfie Piper is the central protagonist, he is 12 years old and he is about to start the new school year in Year 8. There have been many upheavals in Alfie’s life recently, he has moved in permanently with his dad, dad’s new wife Sophie and their new baby Alice. Alice is 4 weeks old; the day before she was born, Alfie’s mum died, 2 weeks after being given a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. So in the space of six weeks, Alfie’s life has turned upside down and he admits that he is lost, he has lost the light that was his mum. This is all revealed in the first few pages of the book, and is told in the honest, hesitating voice of Alfie. The free verse format works beautifully throughout this book because the pattern of words on the page completely helps the reader visualise the patterns of Alfie’s thoughts or words. In the white space you can feel Alfie struggling to either find the words or express the feelings that are in his head. The pages where Alfie tells you upfront about his mum’s death are black with white text, which was visually arresting and powerful.

A year at school passes. Few details are given but we are left with the impression that Alfie has passed through Year 8 in survivor mode, losing his friends because they do not know what to say to him, and struggling with his grief. The six week of the subsequent school summer holiday make up the main body of the story and over the course of these six weeks we see the start of Alfie’s healing. The relationships in the story are portrayed with great authenticity. Alfie has a great relationship with his dad, who is a teacher at Alfie’s school, and therefore is very present for him especially during the holidays. However, it is clear that his dad had lost his love for Alfie’s mum many years earlier and so he does not share Alfie’s deep grief. Alfie’s stepmum, Sophie, is incredibly kind, loving and empathetic, and she is the one who constantly reminds Alfie of his mum’s last words (which I will leave you to discover for yourself). Alfie adores his little sister Alice, and her character provides moments of light relief when the emotional content is getting heavy. On the negative side, Alfie is upset that his mum’s sister Auntie Lisa and his grandmother have not been in touch since the funeral. However, the relationship which has caused him the most trauma, and which has probably stopped Alfie being able to move forwards is that with his mum’s partner, who seemed to have very little time for him when his mum was alive. Throughout the majority of the book, Alfie refers to this man as he or him, and in that lack of name and use of bold text we sense the anger and resentment that Alfie bears.

As the summer holiday unfolds and Alfie explores his local environment on long bike rides, one of which leads to a chance encounter with him, we accompany these two characters on a journey of gradual understanding and healing. This is a hopeful story, which having taken the reader into one of the saddest situations imaginable, shows that understanding, listening and kindness can bring about acceptance, reconciliation and healing. I would recommend it to readers aged 10/11 and above, it is certainly a book that would suit a teen readership and I also feel that anyone who works with children in any capacity would benefit from reading it.

I was fortunate to be able to borrow this copy of Six Weeks from my wonderful local public library.

#PictureBookFriday Review: Something in the Darkness written by John Dougherty, illustrated by Matt Schu

Cover art by Matt Schu, published by Post Wave Books, 17 September 2026,
ISBN: 9781836271307

Something in the Darkness is a suspenseful story, brilliantly written by award-winning author John Dougherty for children of primary school age. The striking artwork by Matt Schu, in black, shades of blue, and orange, adds a brooding atmosphere to the story, perfectly complementing the rhyming text. The detail in the pictures adds a great deal to the storytelling and will provide lots of opportunities for conversation between adults and children who share this book.

We often fall into the trap of thinking of picture books as being written for very young children, but I would recommend Something in the Darkness to teachers and librarians working with children throughout primary school. The quality of the writing and the imagery it conveys would be an excellent resource for any teacher wishing to use Halloween as a prompt for poetry appreciation or writing. The sense of tension is built with immense skill, building to a crescendo which is dispelled by a humorous ending. The story’s message that some things are more frightening in the dark than they would be in the day is one that all children are likely to appreciate and I feel sure there will be much relieved laughter at the end of the book.

If you are a parent or caregiver, looking for a book to share with children aged 4-11 this half-term, or if you are a primary school teacher or librarian looking for a high quality addition to your ‘spooky season’ collection, I encourage you to keep this book in mind.

Disclaimer: I am immensely grateful to publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Post Wave Books for sending me a copy of Something in the Darkness. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own. I will be passing this book on to a speech therapy team who I am sure will be able to make good use of it.

#MG Review: Grebs & Co. The Secret Lives of Gremlins by D.T. Moorhouse, illustrated by Ewa Beniak-Haremska

Cover design by Jet Purdie, published by Everything With Words, 3 September 2026, ISBN: 978-1911427513

Grebs & Co. The Secret Lives of Gremlins is one of those highly imaginative books that sidle up quietly along the bookcase and completely take you by surprise when you open the cover. It is the kind of book that appeals to those quiet children who notice things and feel things deeply; children, in fact, very much like Alice who is the main protagonist of the story.

Alice is newly arrived in the village of Little Wobbleton, a place where lamp posts and trees seem to lean towards you, and where, to an observant and curious child, the postboxes seem to hum with life. Alice becomes quite familiar with the slightly dilapidated postbox that sits below an oak tree near her home on Muddlesworth Lane. She is a frequent visitor as she sends letter after letter to her absent mother, and as she drops the envelopes in, she becomes increasingly convinced that she can hear something within the letterbox! Wishing to investigate, she composes a note, places it in an envelope accompanied by some extremely tasty-sounding chocolate digestives, and pops it through the delivery slot. As she hoped, the biscuits are the magic key to opening up the secret world of the post box gremlins and before long Alice is welcomed into a magical world.

I do not wish to ruin the discovery of the inner workings of the gremlin postal world to anyone who might be tempted to read this book, it is such a richly imagined world that you need to immerse yourself directly in it. Suffice to say that Alice quickly learns about the different postal tasks, helps out when things get muddled or difficult, and finds some eccentric and fascinating companions who brighten up her rather lonely life. However, jeopardy looms when the mayor and the town council decide that modernisation plans for the village should include the replacement of the shabby, inefficient post boxes by state-of-the-art Mail Drop-off Units. Can Alice convince the clipboard-wielding, spreadsheet-consulting councillors that their quest for a modern village is causing them to overlook the power of words, and the emotional depth of a handwritten delivery? Pick up a copy of this charming book and find out!

I really appreciated this quiet and quirky adventure, which is beautifully written by D.T. Moorhouse, and which made me reflect on the power of handwritten messages. I hope that it will make young readers, who have grown up in the age of instant electronic communication, consider the value of slowing down and thinking deeply about the messages that they want to pass on to others. The story was a lovely blend of the intricately constructed fantasy world with real emotional depth. I also think that middle grade readers will appreciate the striking black and white illustrations by Ewa Beniak-Haremska, which are presented as Alice’s pencil sketches of the inner workings of the postboxes; they are a delight to explore and give independent readers a chance to pause their reading at regular intervals and enjoy meeting the gremlin characters. I would wholeheartedly recommend Grebs & Co. to primary school librarians and class teachers, as well as to parents and caregivers. Advanced readers aged 7 would enjoy this, as would 11 year olds in year 6, it would also be a great classroom readaloud to accompany a topic on letter writing.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Mikka at Everything With Words for sending me a copy of Grebs & Co. The Secret Lives of Gremlins. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#PictureBook Review: The Green Child written by Hollie Hughes, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

Cover art by Britta Teckentrup, published by Post Wave Publishing, 3 September 2026, ISBN: 978-1836270577

The Green Child is a charming picture book, written in rhyme by Hollie Hughes and featuring beautiful collage illustrations by Britta Teckentrup.

This story celebrates the natural world as it changes with the seasons, personified by the Green Child. She awakes in the spring and skips through the forest awakening the leaves and rousing the woodland creatures from their hibernation. As the summer flowers bloom and the weather becomes hotter and drier, the Green Child realises that she needs help from the humans to help manage the climate. Her message spreads from one tiny human to another and eventually the earth cools sufficiently for autumn and winter to arrive. The story provides a gentle opportunity for commencing discussions about the need to take care of the environment. The rhyming text has a lovely rhythm which makes it a delight to read aloud, meaning that this book will be a joy for adults to read to young children in either classroom settings or at home. As for the illustrations, there is so much detail in every spread that adults and children could spend endless hours admiring the artwork and having conversations about the woodland plants and animals, and the way that the colours vary across pages depicting the different seasons.

This hardback book would make a lovely gift for a young relative, or alternatively, is sturdy enough to be used in early years or primary classroom or library settings.

Disclaimer: I am very grateful to publicist Antonia Wilkinson and Post Wave Publishing for sending me a copy of The Green Child. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#Children’s Non-fiction Review – Footprints: Walk the Path of Our Earliest Ancestors by Stephen Davies and Kalina Muhova

Cover artwork by Kalina Muhova, published by Post Wave Publishing,
17 September 2026, ISBN: 978-1836270829

Footprints: Walk the Path of Our Earliest Ancestors is a fantastic work of narrative non-fiction, written by Stephen Davies, with beautiful artwork by Kalina Muhova. It covers an incredible range of STEM subjects taught in British schools, including rocks, volcanoes, plate tectonics and evolution, bringing them together in a coherent narrative.

The book begins three hundred million years ago when earth had just one landmass, and explains that the continent of Africa emerged nearly four million years ago. Depictions of many of the animals that roamed the land are provided across stunning double-page spreads before a new animal arrives on the scene, an animal with deep set eyes which walks upright on two legs…this human-like creature will much later become known as Australopithecus afarensis.

The latter half of the book explains how a group of paleoanthropologists, led by Mary Leakey found ancient footprints preserved in the volcanic ash of the Laetoli plain in Tanzania, identifying many animals which are the ancestors of the African animals we know today. After years of careful analysis, they identified footprints which looked more like those of humans than apes and realised that our ancestors started walking upright far earlier than had been previously thought. The footprints matched perfectly with the foot bones of the famous fossilised skeleton known as Lucy, which was found in Ethiopia, which gives scientists one more clue into the process of human evolution, although the book points out that there are still some uncertainties about this.

I really like the way this book demonstrates the meticulous analysis of the evidence which is performed by scientists before they can reach their conclusions. There is not too much text, a lot of the information is portrayed in the pictures, with some of the scientific process presented in panels with speech bubbles, which show the logical flow of the work. This would be a great book for curious children aged 7 years and above to explore in either the classroom or at home; I would highly recommend it to school librarians and primary school teachers. It is a high quality hardback which should withstand constant use in school settings.

Disclaimer: I am most grateful to Antonia Wilkinson and Post Wave Publishing for sending me a copy of Footprints: Walk the Path of Our Earliest Ancestors. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.

#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.