#TheWriteReadsBlogTour Review: Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson

I am increasingly convinced that Victoria Williamson is a one-woman empathy generator! Every time that I read one of her beautifully written novels, my eyes and heart are opened to characters who embody the harsh experiences of so many individuals in today’s society.

Norah’s Ark is written as a dual narrative, with alternate chapters narrated by the two 11-year-old protagonists, Norah and Adam. These two children couldn’t be more different in their positions on the socio-economic hierarchy, but are united by common themes, underlining for readers that we are all bonded by similar human needs, desires and fears. The ‘compare and contrast’ between the protagonists is fascinating. At the beginning of the book, when Norah and Adam are observing each other from a distance, they both jump to conclusions about each other and envy each other’s apparent lifestyles. This is such a great insight for readers, who have been given some detail on the reality of life for the protagonists, into the dangers of pre-judging someone before you get to know them.

Norah is homeless. She has spend the last few years living out of suitcases as she and her unemployed Dad are moved around homeless hostels, B&Bs and other temporary accommodation. She has no friends, is bullied at school for being poor, dirty and smelly and is desperate that the authorities do not find out just how awful her life is, in case she is taken into care and separated from the only family she knows – her father. In contrast, Adam lives in a beautiful home, with a huge garden backing onto the park, with two professional parents and every material comfort. Norah spends a great deal of time alone in the park while her dad goes to the bookies or to the job centre, she has been given a bicycle by a local church and cycles for hours when she is not taking an interest in the local wildlife. We get an insight into her kind heart when she brings crushed up cornflakes from her meagre breakfast to feed a nest of fledglings whose mother has been killed by a local cat. Adam, who is in recovery from leukaemia, and is confined to his own house and garden by his over-anxious mother, envies her freedom as he watches her from his treehouse. However, he is also aware of the abandoned baby birds, and in an act of rebellion, he sneaks through the garden gate, gathers the nest of birds and takes them to his treehouse to hand rear them. To Norah, who watches on, this is just another example of entitlement, a wealthy child taking away the one thing that she felt was hers, but it sparks the start of the children’s relationship.

I love the way that the friendship develops over the course of the novel. We see the internal struggles of each child as they search for the language and trust to allow themselves to be honest with each other about their respective situations. Both Norah and Adam recognise the trait in each other, to misdirect and cover up their true feelings, especially for fear of upsetting the adults in their lives. Author, Victoria Williamson, opens readers eyes to a host of experiences that result from poverty including; the shame that can be felt when visiting food banks; the cruel judgements that can be felt by wearing charity shop clothes; the human consequences felt by children and parents when mistakes are made processing benefits payments and the hard reality of relying on zero-hours contract employment. I work in a health library and I was fascinated to read Adam’s narrative as a child recovering from cancer treatment, wanting to return to his previous activities but being deterred by a parent’s natural desire to keep him safe. As you would expect from a middle-grade novel, the story is suffused with hope and resilience and I loved the way that the natural world – even in the heart of an urban environment – was portrayed as a way to relax and put the day-to-day worries aside for a time. I don’t want to give away any plot spoilers, but the clever choice of title becomes clear in the dramatic final third of the story!

I think that the content of Norah’s Ark makes it suitable for readers aged 10+ to read independently; it would also be a wonderful book for adults to share with children, at home or in school, to prompt conversations about important social issues. Victoria Williamson always donates 20% of her author royalties to a relevant charity; for Norah’s Ark she will be making this donation to Shelter for the work that they do in helping families in adversity.

I am very grateful to Neem Tree Press who sent me a copy of Norah’s Ark in exchange for my honest opinion, and to @TheWriteReads who invited me to join the blog tour. Do check out the many fantastic reviews and interviews created by the great bloggers in the graphic below.

MG Review: Friends and Traitors by Helen Peters

Cover image by David Dean, published by Nosy Crow, 6 July 2023

After reading the reviews from some of my favourite bloggers heaping praise on this MG title back in July, I bought a copy for myself on a recent book shopping trip in Bath. I opened the front cover to discover that I had picked up a signed copy, fell head over heels in love with it when one of my late mother’s favourite expressions appeared in the second sentence and spent a Bank Holiday morning reading it from cover to cover!

Friends and Traitors contains all the elements that I love: fully-rounded characters with believable and flawed personalities, a sense of intrigue from the earliest pages, a country house and historical setting, and a plot which blends sabotage and fifth columnists with secret passages and brave young protagonists. Layered over the top of these constituents, and the reason that I could not put the book down, is Helen Peters’ fantastic storytelling. Some writers just make the process of reading their work effortless – I don’t know enough about literary techniques to be able to explain how or why – but this book fell into that category for me. I know that I would have loved Friends and Traitors when I was 9 or 10, and finishing my ‘Blyton interregnum’ and I am sure that children in upper Key Stage 2 will adore this brilliant mystery adventure which will tie in with their WWII history topic.

The plot set-up is that St Olave’s Girls School has been evacuated to Stanbrook House, the country estate of Lord Evesham who is a senior member of the Air Ministry. The girls and their teachers arrive on the same day as Nancy, a bright country girl who has to begin working as a parlour maid because her family cannot afford for her to take up the grammar school scholarship that she has won. Nancy resents the ‘posh girls’ who do not need or value their expensive education, labelling them all the same after she repeatedly experiences the careless snobbery of nasty Lucinda. However, Lucinda is equally capable of bullying classmates and takes great delight in picking on Sidney who has newly arrived in her Form. When Sidney ropes Nancy into helping her play a midnight prank on Lucinda, the maid and the school girl overhear a conversation which leaves them in no doubt that Stanbrook House is playing host to a traitor. Driven by patriotism, a loathing of Hitler and concern for their elder brothers who are both fighting against fascism, Nancy and Sidney team up to foil a traitorous scheme.

This book really does tick all the boxes for a thoroughly enjoyable read. A great cast of pupils and teachers who add drama and humour to the narrative, the servants of the house who add an extra level of interest as well as useful background details, a repellant villain and determined, valiant heroines. With class issues, the fascists’ treatment of Jewish and other ‘undesirable’ individuals as well as the need to stand up to bullies as themes, this book educates whilst entertaining. I really cannot recommend it highly enough!

This book is a personal purchase.

If you enjoy Friends and Traitors you might also like to read Our Castle By the Sea by Lucy Strange, I, Spy by Rhian Tracey and Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll.

Non-fiction Review: Books and the People Who Make Them by Stéphanie Vernet and Camille de Cussac, translated by Paul Kelly

Cover art by Camille de Cussac, published by Prestel, 5 September 2023

I simply could not believe my luck when I opened the package containing this absolutely essential book for every library and book lover’s collection! This stunning, behind-the-scenes exploration tells you everything that you would want to know about the creative journey of a book from the author’s imagination into the reader’s hands.

From the moment that you open the front cover you realise just how special this book is – with details about the binding (Swiss), font choice (Lota Grotesque), paper choice and weight (offset and 170gr). Each chapter is named for a profession associated with book production and illustrated with a thumbnail portrait image. This gives a clear indication of the style of the book which is remarkable for its bright, bold, stylishly illustrated spreads punctuated with small blocks of text, translated from the original French by Paul Kelly.

Firstly, we meet the author and learn about many different ways that manuscripts can be produced, as well as some famous examples of lost manuscripts. We also learn about the essential roles played by editors, illustrators and graphic designers before gaining an insight into the actual printing and construction of a physical book. From this point, the narrative becomes about the professions involved in mobilising the book from the warehouse into the hands of readers – sales representatives and marketing professionals, booksellers, literary critics, publicists and librarians. Finally the role of readers in bringing books to life is discussed. The whole book would be an excellent resource for conversations about careers with children who are interested in creativity.

Every single spread is lavishly illustrated in the same style as the gorgeous cover shown above and the factual content is tremendously educational. There is so much to enjoy here that this book will encourage multiple readings. Of course, I loved to see my own profession celebrated in the spreads about libraries and librarians, but I also enjoyed learning a great deal from the spreads about the printing and production of books. At a time when many of us, as individuals and institutions, are concerned about sustainability and the environment, it was great to find information about climate neutral publishing practices and to find that this is an example of a climate neutral book.

I would strongly encourage every school and public library to buy a copy of this book which will provide enjoyment and insight for any bibliophile of 8 to 80 years of age.

I am very grateful to Prestel Publishing and Antonia Wilkinson PR for providing me with a review copy of Books and the People Who Make Them ahead of publication on 5th September 2023, in return for my honest opinion.

MG Review: Scareground by Angela Kecojevic

Cover design by Anna Morrison, published by Neem Tree Press, 7 September 2023

Are you ready for the unexpected? The extraordinary? The daring? Roll up, roll up! The Scareground is in town!

Nancy Crumpet is ready to seek the answers to her past! What is the meaning of the silver horse that marks her wrist and that she hides from the prying eyes of the world? Why do her loving, adoptive parents Ma and Pa Crumpet, whose bakery home is usually filled with warmth and openness, become evasive and embarrassed when she asks about her origins? And why have they, along with her only friend Arthur’s father,, forbidden her from visiting the travelling fairground setting up in Oxleas Wood? Despite her guilt at betraying the trust and love that the Crumpets have always shown her, Nancy has a burning desire to know where she comes from, so ignoring the warning messages that the sky is sending, she sets out after dark with Arthur to visit Skelter Tombola’s Scareground!

This is a deliciously creepy tale for an upper middle grade readership. It gave me vibes of Rooftoppers crossed with The Night Circus, and I am sure will be greatly enjoyed by fans of Katherine Rundell, Emma Carroll and Jennifer Killick. The juxtaposition of baked goods metaphors in parallel with an ominous sense of foreboding works brilliantly to build a tense narrative. Angela Kecojevic’s writing is distinctive, filled with originality and sentences which demand to be re-read to fully appreciate the imagery they convey. She creates the setting of Victorian Greenwich with such clarity that from the opening pages, readers feel the thrill of Nancy’s rooftop view over the Thameside village and her sense that something unexpected has been blown in by the wind.

Characters spring to life, fully formed but begging readers to explore their back stories and motivations. From Ma and Pa Crumpet who bake all week and love to relax by reading books in front of the crackling fire on Sunday evenings, to the mysterious and sinister fairground impressario Skelter Tombola, readers will be enthralled. Nancy and Arthur’s friendship is touching and entirely believable and both characters undergo considerable growth throughout the narrative. I really don’t want to ruin anyone’s enjoyment by giving away too much of the plot but the magical ability to skyread, a phantom carousel, a sky ship, a profusion of black crows’ feathers and a horrible demon who seems to leave hideous black slugs in his wake will all send shivers down the spine! Scareground is certain to be popular with mature readers of 10+ as autumn approaches.

I am most grateful to Neem Tree Press who sent me the glorious package in the image at the top of this review in return for my honest opinion. Scareground will be published on 7 September 2023 and is available for pre-order now.

Beat the Backlist MG Review: Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep by Philip Reeve

Audiobook borrowed from Somerset Libraries, cover image by Paddy Donnelly

The first book in the Utterly Dark trilogy is one of the most beautiful works of historical speculative fiction that I have read. The world-building, the narrative voice, the characters and the plot are perfectly crafted and I honestly feel that this book and in fact the entire series deserve the highest acclaim. I have recently listened to the audiobook version of Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep (which is perfectly narrated by Barnaby Edwards) in anticipation of the final part of the trilogy being published next month, September 2023.

The story begins on the island of Wildsea, the most westerly of the Autumn Isles, a small string of fictional islands lying between the Scilly Isles and the expanses of the western seas. The sense of place and time are majestically evoked: every character whether human, witch, troll or even ancient force of nature is written with astonishing clarity and authenticity. Young (and older) imaginations cannot help but be stimulated by such breath-taking descriptions and dialogue. Utterly Dark is an endearing character; brave, clever and with a slight sense of “otherness” fuelled by her growing sense that the sea is watching and calling to her. She lives at Sundown Watch, the ancestral home of the Dark family, who have been the Watchers on Wildsea for many generations. When her guardian, Andrewe Dark is found drowned on the foreshore, his younger brother must be summoned from London to take on the role of Watcher. While the islanders await his return, Utterly climbs the Watcher’s tower each evening and as she begins to watch for the appearance of the mythical Hidden Lands, the mystery of her own background starts to slowly emerge.

It was always at sundown they were seen. In that twilight hour when the walls between the worlds grew thin, strange things might slip between the cracks.
page 27

I loved the way that this story explored the blurring of boundaries, whether between land and sea, science and mythology or love and possessiveness. The reluctant return of Will Dark to the island, where he tries to rationalise the traditional beliefs of the island population in the supernatural power of The Gorm with the scientific theories of the enlightenment, is the catalyst for dramatic and destructive events which reveal the true nature of Utterly’s existence. I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot for fear of spoiling anyone’s enjoyment of it. Instead, I will just say that I was totally gripped by the narrative, invested in all of the protagonists and laughed aloud at the moments of high humour, often provided by the Dearlove family.

This is a story that I would recommend for mature readers in Year 5 and 6 to read independently, to feed their imaginations. It would also make an excellent classroom read aloud, or a bedtime story for children of 9/10+. I would have loved to read it to my own children had it been available when they were younger. This trilogy really does need to be read in order, so I would advise you to read this now and swiftly follow with Book 2 in the trilogy Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild, before Utterly Dark and the Tides of Time is published on 7th September 2023.

The Utterly Dark Trilogy by Philip Reeve published by David Fickling Books

MG Review: The Diary of an Accidental Witch – Stage Fright by Perdita & Honor Cargill, illustrated by Katie Saunders

Cover illustration by Katie Saunders, published by Little Tiger Press,
03 August 2023

In the fifth journal written by accidental witch, Bea Black, there have been a few changes to her life in the village of Little Spellshire, most noticeably that she no longer has to hide her witch status from her Dad. He has adjusted very happily to the knowledge that his daughter is a witch in training and particularly loves to hitch a lift on the back of her broom to get closer to the clouds – the subject of his current work-in-progress! He is also becoming very friendly with Taffy Tallywick, a situation which requires some adjustments to be made by Bea.

At school, the spring term has heralded the challenge for Bea and her fellow year 7s to stage a play on the evening of the equinox. With Winnie Ross writing an adaptation of the witch version of Hansel and Gretel, complete with musical numbers composed by Amara, what could possibly go wrong? Cue magical mishaps and sticky situations! The diary format with Katie Saunders’ cute illustrations, combined with the humorous antics of the young witches make this an ideal choice for readers of 7+ to read independently. The writing by Perdita and Honor Cargill holds more charm than an entire spell book and this story is every bit as entertaining as a magically enhanced forest performance by a troupe of young witches.

I am most grateful to Little Tiger for sending me a review copy of Diary of an Accidental Witch – Stage Fright in return for my honest opinion.

You can read my reviews of other books in the series; links are in the titles:

Diary of an Accidental Witch – Flying High

Diary of an Accidental Witch – Ghostly Getaway

Blog Tour: Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight by Maria Motúnráyò Adébísí, illustrated by Simone Douglas

Cover image by Simone Douglas, published by Hachette Children’s Books, 3 August 2023

Question: What is a tribe?

Read this exhilarating, debut middle grade fantasy from Maria Motúnráyò Adébísí and discover the answer alongside young teens, Kòkú, Moremi and Osoosi, as they venture to the heart of Jujuland on a quest to save The Night Stone.

I was swept away by the originality of this novel, in particular the unique use of language in a book aimed at the upper middle grade readership; 10-14 years of age. The author has infused this story with her Nigerian heritage, and through the first person narrative of Kòkú, she blends London teen slang with the Yoruba spoken in the fictional country of his birth, Olórí. This added such richness and rhythm to the narrative, it propelled me into the mythical African country and grounded the action firmly in its exotic setting. As for the action, there is just so much to enjoy. Kòkú begins the story on an end of summer term school trip to the British Museum, where he somehow manages to release a demon from an artefact taken from a West African country by a European explorer. This is not Kòkú’s only problem. He is a boy who is very small for his age, an effect of the sickle cell anaemia he has been born with, he appears to be the victim of bullying and clearly has low self-esteem although he deflects negative attention with some excellently witty ripostes. He is an orphan, with fragmented memories of his mother and the place of his birth, and is now living in London with Uncle Tunji, who rapidly packs him off to Olórí for the summer holidays.

He arrives into the care of Mama Oti, who looked after him in his very early childhood. In a very clever piece of narrative, Kòkú arrives on the day of the Masquerade Festival, a grand ceremony which allows Mama Oti and a moody teenager in her care, Moremi, to explain the mythology, magic, tribal system and politics of Olórí in a condensed scene. I thought that this was a wonderful way to explain the fantasy world, resulting in a book which is shorter than a lot of speculative fiction and therefore more appealing for many children who are sometimes daunted by traditional 450+ page fantasy novels. Additionally, the book includes eye-catching, animé-style graphics throughout, by Simone Douglas, which add to the enjoyment of reading. As he watches the ceremony in the blazing heat of a parched land in which the sun only sets for an hour a day, Kòkú learns that the ruling Ògún tribe want to find and destroy a mythical stone known as The Heart of Midnight, which will destroy night time forever, as well as the magical and natural creatures which rely on night. To his disbelief, as the last survivor of the Olókun tribe, Kòkú discovers that it is his destiny to venture into Jujuland to save the sacred stone.

There was no way I had more power than the Chosen Ones. They could walk into flames, summon the rain to fall, or munch a bunch of knives and turn into Iron Man. I couldn’t even join in on Sports Day at school.
p87

With Kòkú struggling to believe that he is equipped for such a mission, and accompanied by capricious martial arts expert Moremi and hyperactive shape shifter Osoosi, who spends much of her time as a hyena, the questers must face a terrifying collection of foes. As they confront their own hidden fears and secret motivations, as well as a teenage assassin with a soul-swallowing sword and his iron-clad henchmen, the three heroes begin to build bonds of trust, belonging and self-belief. Very movingly, in a novel so rich in layers of language, they discover the level of bonding which releases feelings too deep to express in words.

This is a story about embracing your heritage, finding your unique place in the world and believing in your self-worth and Kòkú, Moremi and Osoosi demonstrate this growth as the story progresses. I also read into the text a theme of overcoming fear of the unknown by listening and learning to understand that which is different to our own lived experience. Thus, Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight, does what many great children’s book do, in simultaneously educating and entertaining. I am sure that children of West African heritage will be thrilled to see heroic child protagonists who look and sound like them, and for those of us who have a different background it provides insight and fosters empathy. One final point that I must make, from my professional role as a health librarian, is that I was intrigued to see the symptoms of sickle cell anaemia described throughout the narrative. There is a desire throughout the health service to increase levels of health literacy in all sections of society, and I would highly recommend this book to primary and secondary schools libraries, as well as to public libraries as part of their health and wellbeing offer, as much as for its entertainment value.

And the answer to the question posed at the start: Everything!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maria Motúnráyò Adébísí graduated from the
University of Oxford in 2017 with a degree in English
Literature. As part of her degree she focused on
post-colonial literature from Nigeria and West
Africa, and on graduating she realised that she
wanted to write a novel that would speak to children
straddling British and African identities and make
them proud of both. Koku Akanbi and the Heart of
Midnight is her first novel.

I am very grateful to Lucy Clayton and Hachette Books for sending me access to the eARC of Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight ahead of publication on 3rd August 2023 and for inviting me to join the blog tour. Do checkout the reviews from all the fantastic bloggers on the schedule.

Sampler Review: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Cover illustration by Daniel Egnéus, publisher Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 14 September 2023

Well, this is just a sampler of the first three chapters, but based on this and my reading of all of Katherine Rundell’s previous books, I would say that this new MG novel (and future series) will capture the hearts of middle grade readers in the same way that another fantasy series from the same publisher did 20 years ago. The ingredients are all there for an epic read; animal loving child protagonist, hidden family secret, fantasy creatures, peril, bravery and a quest against dark foes. Layer on top of this, Katherine Rundell’s uniquely exquisite writing and you have a book that will excite the creativity of every child.

I cannot wait for the full book to be released on 14 September 2023!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Children’s Books and Mr B’s Emporium Bath (where I picked up a free sampler in addition to the eARC.

Blog Tour: Have You Seen the New Forest Unicorn? by Carole Smith, illustrated by Alexandra Wilson

This delightful picture book story is based on author Carole Smith’s lifelong love of ponies and her long residence in the beautiful New Forest; her love of the natural world shines through the text. The delicate watercolour illustrations by Alexandra Wilson give a gentle sense of the landscape to young readers.

The introductory pages present brief introductions to the animal characters, describing their appearances and their personalities. This serves as an excellent reference, particularly for adults who might read this story across several nights as a bedtime story for their children or grandchildren. The actual story is a journey of discovery for six New Forest pony foals: Peewee, Willow, Juliet, Riley, Drummer and Merlin, an inquisitive group of friends who want to know if the New Forest Unicorn actually exists. As they seek help and advice from a number of animal residents of the forest, young readers are introduced to a variety of animals, both wild and domestic, which are found in this National Park. The gentle guidance of the older animals such as Super Ted the miniature Shetland pony and The Monarch, a huge stag who is king of the forest, gives children a lovely model of asking for advice from adults, and there is an excellent example of the ponies repeating the advice they have been given about crossing roads safely. The locations mentioned in the text are all real and this could lead to an interesting map reading (or Google maps) activity shared between adults and children in their care.

This is a really calm and gentle picture book which would make either an excellent bedtime story, or in schools, a story to quietly wind-down with at the end of the day. It is printed in large font with very short chapters, so children of 6+ who are gaining confidence as readers would probably enjoy shared reading of this book with an adult.

My thanks to LiterallyPR who provided me with a review copy of Have You Seen the New Forest Unicorn? and invited me to join the blog tour. Do check out the other reviews from the schedule in the graphic at the top of this post.

Picture Book Review: Spyceratops, written and illustrated by Alex Willmore

Cover illustration by Alex Willmore, published by Farshore, 03/08/2023

Are you fast, fearless and able to blend into your surroundings? Well, you might just have what it takes to rival Spyceratops, as the greatest spy in all of history! Join the most unlikely secret agent ever as she takes you on a tour of her high-tech spy facility, demonstates an impressive range of gadgets and introduces you to her sidekick, who seems rather more interested in ice cream than espionage. What is Grandad up to in his hidden lair? is he really building a doomsday machine? It’s going to take an exceptionally talented, stealthy and brave agent to uncover the ancient relative’s dastardly plan.

Join Spyceratops in this colourful and highly entertaining romp through the intelligence landscape. Alex Willmore has created a story that adults will enjoy every bit as much as the young children with whom they share it. I actually laughed out loud at Grandad’s response to being confronted by his grand-daughter. I would have loved to have shared this with my own children when they were little and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to share a unique and fun-filled picture book with a 3-6 year old.

I am very grateful to Farshore Books and Liz Scott PR for sending me a review copy of Spyceratops ahead of publication on 3rd August 2023.