#BlogTourReview: Maggie Blue and the White Crow by Anna Goodall

Cover art by Sandra Dieckmann, published in paperback by Guppy Books, 14 September 2023. ISBN 9781913101824

I have edited my original review to mark publication of this beautiful book in paperback format on 14th September 2023.

This second book in the Maggie Blue trilogy soars with imagination, transporting the reader as seamlessly as the title character between two contrasting worlds. Anna Goodall’s construction of the story is masterful, encouraging the reader to read between the lines and try to piece together the puzzle of Maggie’s purpose and fate. It is labelled as a middle grade book but I would suggest that it is likely to be most enjoyed by children towards the end of Year 6, during the summer between primary and secondary school and during Key Stage 3, when they are of similar age to the child protagonists.

The story begins with Maggie and her school friends languidly passing the summer holidays in the woods or in Aunt Esme’s garden, enduring a stifling heatwave. Despite the intense heat and light, both Maggie and her friend Ida intermittently feel their blood chill when they experience flashbacks to the time spent in the Dark World. Maggie seems blissfully unaware that her every move is being watched by warrior shifters, people from the Dark World who can take on the shape of birds…but what is their intent? And can Maggie’s heightened senses really be unaware that she is needed for a further purpose in a dark fantasy land that she would rather not revisit?

In the real world, she now feels less of an outsider, having friends to hang out with. However, she is still insecure about her odd family circumstances; living with eccentric Aunt Esme while her mum, Cynthia, is incarcerated in a mental hospital and her dad is overseas with his new young girlfriend. Regular tween discussions about holiday plans cause her discomfort and distress because she is not in a position to enjoy overseas vacations. These everyday events become immaterial when a pure white crow arrives in West Minchen, followed soon after by Cynthia who despite being in a distressed state, urgently wants to tell Maggie about her background. Without wishing to give away any plot spoilers I will simply say that Maggie is reluctantly hurtled back into the Dark World and the reader is immersed into a land of ruthless ambition, ongoing war, witches and the chillingly ferocious Terrible Ones. The seven ruling families have built a citadel in the Magic Mountains:

a bizarre glittering structure. It shone like madness in the clear light
p26

and somehow Maggie’s fate is dependent on restoring the balance between their urge to destroy and the Great O’s mission to preserve the natural world.

This is an immersive, exciting novel with moments of violent peril balanced with some wryly humorous passages, usually featuring Hoagy the one-eyed cat! With underlying themes of mental health issues and the exploitation of the natural world it is a sophisticated tale which will leave readers desperate to find out whether Maggie will have the ability to reconcile her two worlds in the final instalment. It is the kind of book that as a parent and former school librarian I would be delighted to recommend to readers of 10+ who enjoy sophisticated storylines and elegant prose. Before I finish this review, I must encourage you to take a close look at the stunning cover art by Sandra Dieckmann which so beautifully depicts the protagonists with whom you will glide through this story.

About the author

Anna Goodall was born in London into a family of musicians. But amidst all the instruments and piles of music, there were also a lot of books. Her granny used to read to her every night, and family folklore has it that she loved to write little notes to herself before she could read properly. (The content of these notes is still unknown, but we strongly suspect that they contained gibberish.) Even so, writing has always been a way for Anna to connect with herself and the world, and, alongside reading, the most important thing in her life.

Her first book Maggie Blue and the Dark World, was shortlisted in the Costa Children’s Book Award 2021 and nominated for the Carnegie Medal. She lives in London with her family and a dog called Winnie. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @AGoodhallAuthor.

I am very grateful to Guppy Books and to Liz Scott for sending me a review copy of Maggie Blue and the White Crow and inviting me to join the blog tour. Do check out all the reviews on the online blog tour on the schedule below.

Picture Book Review: Madeline Finn and the Rescue Dog by Lisa Papp

Cover art by Lisa Papp, published by Old Barn Books, 9th March 2023

The second book in the Madeline Finn series from American illustrator and author Lisa Papp is like a warm hug in book form. It is a perfect book to share with young children and I simply cannot wait to snuggle up and read it to the youngest relative.

Madeline’s dreams come true when she finally persuades her mum to let her have a dog and she is allowed to choose a puppy from the litter of Bonnie, the library dog. Truth be told, the puppy, Star, chooses Madeline rather than the other way round! Lovely librarian, Mrs Dimple, explains to Madeline that there are other ways of finding pets such as rescue dogs and cats, and she inspires Madeline and her mum to visit the local animal shelter. Reflecting on her visit, Madeline realises that the sadness of the animals who await new homes might be explained by a lack of love and being the kind-hearted child that she is, she makes a plan to ensure that every dog and cat feels as loved as Star,

Every page of this story deserves to be lingered over. The illustrations in warm, pastel shades radiate gentleness and care, you can feel the unconditional love that Madeline has for her puppy in every adoring glance and cuddle. The contrast in the expressions and body language of the caged animals on Madeline’s first visit to the shelter compared to the day when the shelter fills with children and books and blankets is heart-meltingly glorious. The story was apparently inspired by a “read to dogs” project at the author’s local library and this incredible, non-judgemental bond between animals and children is certainly reflected in this beautiful book. Quite honestly, the highest praise that I can bestow is that reading it gave me the same feeling as I had when sharing the “Alfie” books by the late, great Shirley Hughes with my children many years ago. The characters and storytelling resonate with the same kindness, wisdom and observation of the joyful details of everyday life. I highly recommend Madeline Finn and the Rescue Dog as a gift for any young child of your acquaintance, for every nursery and early years and Key Stage 1 classroom.

I am most grateful to Old Barn Books for my gifted copy ahead of publication, which will be passed on to my great-niece, who I am sure will adore it.

MG Review: I, Spy A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey

Cover art by David Dean, published by Piccadilly Press,
2 March 2023

This enjoyable debut by Rhian Tracey combines a fascinating WWII setting with an intriguing mystery adventure, resourceful children and brave birds; and ideal mix for an engrossing middle grade title.

The main protagonist, Robyn, has grown up at Bletchley Park, living in a cottage in the grounds of the stately home where her father works as the chauffeur. It is clear that she has had a carefree existence, roaming the grounds, swimming and rowing on the lake and observing the varied wildlife. However, the onset of war has restricted her previous freedoms. She has been told to stay away from the lake, she can no longer visit her dad in the garages which are now filled with military vehicles and her mother is now employed; running the coffee shop for the multitude of new arrivals who are housed in temporary huts on the site. Worst of all, when Robyn breaks the rules and sneaks out of the grounds to visit her best friend Mary in the village, she is hauled in front of a harsh, humourless authority figure whom she labels “The Heron” and is made to sign the Official Secrets act.

No longer permitted to leave the site, even to attend school, Robyn is put to work in the attics of the stately home where she meets kindly Mr Samuels and becomes his apprentice in the National Pigeon Service. I am sure that animal-loving children will be as fascinated as I was to learn about the vital role that these incredible birds played during WWII. The bond that Mr Samuels and Robyn form with the pigeons is heartwarmingly relatable to any child who has cared for a pet. Being based in the attics gives Robyn ample opportunities to observe the activity taking place in the Park, and she becomes increasingly suspicious of The Heron’s movements, particularly his involvement with the undertaker’s hearse which visits the Park daily. She teams up with the undertaker’s son, Ned, and Mary who is now working as a post-girl delivering messages to the inhabitants of the huts, and together they begin to investigate The Heron’s nefarious dealings. Secret codes, hidden tunnels and unexpected villains keep the plot entertaining whilst readers of 10+ also learn about the changes, particularly to women’s lives, that occurred during WWII. I think that I, Spy A Bletchley Park Mystery gives a fresh perspective on the second world war and will be a welcome addition to primary school classrooms and libraries.

In my former role in a school I used to deliver a lesson about Bletchley Park as part of the computing curriculum for Year 6, the children really enjoyed making their own Enigma Machines from old Pringles (or non-branded equivalents) tubes. (You can find resources and instructions for this activity, designed by Franklin Health Ltd and available free here). If any primary school teachers or librarians investigate cryptography or the history of computing with Year 5 or Year 6, I would highly recommend using this book as a class reader to coincide with that unit of work.

I am grateful to Piccadilly Press and Antonia Wilkinson for sending me a review copy of I, Spy A Bletchley Park Mystery prior to publication on 2nd March 2023.

MG Review: Rivet Boy by Barbara Henderson

Cover images from shutterstock by Richie Chan and Tsekhmister. Published by Cranachan 16 February 2023

This is a beautifully written story, narrated in the first person by John Nicol, who at the age of twelve has to reluctantly leave school and become the family breadwinner. Readers gain an insight into the realities of poverty during the Victorian age and the dangerous working conditions endured by so many to construct engineering projects which we often take for granted today. Barbara Henderson is an immensely skilled author and she presents her historical research in the context of a gripping story which does not side step the harsh facts but is suitable for readers of 10+. I can honestly say that I was riveted from the first page to the last!

John has to overcome his fear of heights, life-threatening workplace bullying and the constant burns which arise from employment as a rivet boy on construction of the Forth Bridge. Despite these hardships he is portrayed as a positive, polite young man and as a reader you cannot help rooting for him. The author cleverly weaves John’s growing maturity as a working lad with his intellectual growth, guided by the kindly librarian Mr Peebles who curates his reading choices at the newly opened Carnegie Library in Dunfermline. I loved the representation of a librarian’s ability to make a positive impact on someone’s life chances which was demonstrated in this story. I also enjoyed the resonance between John’s situation of being dragged away from his familiar life and forced to grow up quickly and the heroes of the Robert Louis Stevenson books that he is devouring. The final element of the story which delighted me was the device of John’s autograph book as a way to include the many famous names who travelled to Scotland to admire the great engineering feat, allied with the determined figure of Cora, daughter of the rescue boat captain, who is prepared to break with convention to further John’s cause and her own desire to become an engineer.

Reading this book caused me to reflect on the fact that my own children’s education about Victorian engineering was entirely focused on Isambard Kingdom Brunel. I thoroughly enjoyed the Scottish setting of Rivet Boy and was pleased to learn about engineers such as Sir William Arrol, who built the Forth Bridge (and Tower Bridge) and Margaret Moir a founding member of The Women’s Engineering Society. I highly recommend this book to all primary school libraries and classrooms to add to their Victorian book collections, it is full of useful information as well as being a cracking read.

I am very grateful to Cranachan Books and Antonia Wilkinson for a review copy of Rivet Boy, which is published on 16 February 2023, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beat the Backlist Challenge: Speak Up! Graphic Novel written and illustrated by Rebecca Burgess

Cover illustration by Rebecca Burgess, published by Quill Tree Books,
27 October 2022.

To my shame, the graphic novel Speak Up! has been sitting in my TBR stack for nearly four months and knowing that I desperately wanted to read it, I included it in my #BeatTheBacklistChallenge according to the rules set out by Austine Decker. Prompted by the promotion of #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek, I picked it up and am now kicking myself that I didn’t read it sooner!

The story of new Middle School student Mia is told in graphic novel format by autistic comic artist Rebecca Burgess and the authenticity of the story is deeply emotionally affecting. In my day job as a health librarian, I read many pieces of academic information about autism but the privilege of seeing the lived experience of an autistic individual portrayed with such clarity makes me deeply indebted to Rebecca Burgess. Through her words, and especially the pictures which show how thoughtless words or actions can initiate overwhelming sensory overload, this author educates and builds empathy in any reader. For anyone who wishes to expand their understanding of neurodiversity and make progress in their journey as an ally, I wholeheartedly recommend Speak Up!

In just over 260 pages we accompany Mia as she navigates the daily challenges of a middle school classroom, where her fellow pupils either ignore her because she is perceived as weird; make half-hearted attempts to include her but give up when she can’t find the right words to communicate with them; or actively bully her. Initially, Mia’s mum does not appear to have a firm understanding of her daughter’s individuality, constantly encouraging her to mask her autistic behaviours and try to blend in with the other pupils. The only person with whom Mia can be her true self is best friend Charlie, with whom she shares a huge secret; together they have created Mia’s alter ego, Elle-Q, an internet musical sensation with her emotive lyrics, superhero-style costumes and urban videos. However, even this relationship is almost fractured when Charlie enters them into a talent show which Mia does not think she can handle.

I was gripped by the realistic portrayal of “tween” life portrayed in this excellent graphic novel and its positive message about the importance of being your true self and finding joy in your unique gifts. The author does a great job of demonstrating possible motives behind bullying behaviour and similarly explains parental behaviour, leaving the reader with greater empathy for these characters too. I think that this would be an inspiring story for any autistic readers who wish to see their own experiences represented in literature. Finally, the gentle understanding and supportive action modelled by the organiser of the talent show towards Mia is a great example for all of us who want to improve our allyship skills. A fantastic book for readers of 11-14 and interested adults.

I would like to thank Harper360 and Antonia Wilkinson PR for my gifted copy of Speak Up! Views expressed here are entirely my own.

Blog Tour: How to Make a Story by Naomi Jones, illustrated by Ana Gomez

Cover illustration by Ana Gomez, published by Oxford Children’s Books

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for How to Make a Story, a book which has enraptured me since my review copy arrived. I have been looking forward to reading this picture book since hearing about it at an online launch event for another of the author’s books in 2022, and the finished copy is even better than I had imagined.

Naomi Jones has a genuine understanding of young children’s imaginations and their anxieties and has used this knowledge to craft a story which both sees their experience, and engages them in finding a practical solution. The joyous artwork by Ana Gomez works perfectly with the text to bring the story to life in beautiful colourful spreads that are totally relatable. This is a picture book that cries out to be shared in homes, nurseries and early years classrooms.

On the pages, we meet Milo, who wants to make up his own story but is not sure where to start. His mum offers guidance, explaining the basic three-part structure and reassurance that he can’t get it wrong. She helps him with the opening phrase and then he’s off; drawing inspiration from his multigenerational family, his home and garden and mixing these familiar elements with the unfettered imagination of a young child. Dad is on hand to give advice on the middle section, Nana supplies motivation and Milo’s younger twin siblings appear to influence the inclusion of slimy, dribbling monsters into the storyline.

Every element of this picture book works to make it as precious as the golden treasure of Milo’s imagination. The vibrant artwork beautifully depicts Milo’s creativity as he turns objects and situations that are familiar to most children into a story. There is so much detail to study on every page that I am sure youngsters will want to return to the book often and I can imagine them comparing many of the pictures with their own families and homes. I loved the way that Milo’s supportive family helped him break the story-making process into small, manageable chunks and the way that Lego bricks became a visual metaphor for constructing the story from its individual pieces. This is such a valuable model for children, many of whom can struggle when faced with the prospect of writing a story when little or no scaffolding is provided. I know from personal experience how challenging a blank page can be for a child who has dyslexia for example, and I am sure that this celebration of the creative process will act as a gentle guide to help so many youngsters translate the brilliant machinations of their brains into stories that they will be proud to share in the same way as Milo.

I wholeheartedly recommend How to Make a Story to anyone who is lucky enough to know a child of 3-6; I will certainly be buying copies for young relatives. My thanks to Liz Scott and Oxford Children’s Books for inviting me to participate in the blog tour and I urge you to read reviews written by my fellow book review bloggers outlined in the graphics below.

Picture Books from Farshore: Amazing Mum by Alison Brown and Pick a Story by Sarah Coyle & Adam Walker-Parker

I have been very fortunate to receive two beautiful picture books published by Farshore this month, both of which will be a delight to share with young children.

Amazing Mum is a wonderfully inclusive celebration of mums in all their guises, written and illustrated by Alison Brown. This book is so clever and so appealing, I can see it being requested over and over again as a book to snuggle up with. The very simple rhyming text consists of only a few words per page, which will encourage the youngest children to join in with the “reading”. Alison Brown’s illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. She sweetly captures mums of every kind through her anthropomorphic menagerie and the over-riding impression is one of loving relationships, no matter what the mum looks like, what her occupation might be or what her particular talents are. Every child will recognise aspects of their mum and reading this as a mum to now grown-up children, many spreads provoked nostalgia and the mum retrieving lego from under a bed made me laugh out loud! I am looking forward to sharing this with a young relative very soon, and I highly recommend it to families, nurseries and early years classrooms.

Pick a Story A Dinosaur + Unicorn + Robot Adventure is a great way to encourage young children to let their imaginations wander and construct their own version of a story. The glittery, sparkly foiling on the title and colourful cartoonish illustrations are visually appealing, ensuring that this will be selected from the bookshelves. This is definitely a book which needs to be shared with an adult as it requires discussion and assistance to move to the correct pages (especially when some alternate storylines are on adjacent pages), but it gives children agency over the direction of the story. This interactive element is an excellent opportunity for children to learn the joy in playing with stories and experimenting with different story arcs. Sarah Coyle’s text presents children with the task of tracking down which character has taken Gwen’s birthday cake; as well as deciding which option to follow there are plenty of questions throughout to engage young minds and ecourage observation of the pictures. Adam Walker-Parker’s graphics reminded me of computer games which will hopefully lure children away from their screens, with lots of activity to explore and enjoy on every page. A novel book choice to share with an individual child or perhaps a small group in a nursery or early years classroom.

I would like to thank Farshore Books and publicist Antonia Wilkinson for my review copies of Amazing Mum and Pick a Story A Dinosaur + Unicorn + Robot Adventure.