The sequel to Jump! (for which I have added a link to my review at the end of this post), Jump 2 is another story which uses sport as a metaphor for overcoming struggles in everyday life. Although featuring the same two central characters, Robbie Blair and Jamie Campbell, this time Jamie is the focus of the story and I think that the mental health challenges she faces make this story more suitable for a secondary school readership.
Jamie is a talented footballer, but since the sudden death of her mother in a car accident, followed by a house move with her dad, she has completely lost her confidence. More than this, she blames herself for her mother’s death and appears to be suffering from PTSD and a form of OCD. Author, J.G. Nolan presents her story in a fractured style of very short chapters, which provide an insight into Jamie’s disordered mind and subsequently show readers the healing process, and the combination of friendship, professional help, family support and self-motivation that contribute to recovery.
When Jamie’s dad has to attend a work conference, Jamie goes to stay with her aunt in the Lake District. Here, she is given a manuscript that her mum was working on before the accident, and draws inspiration from the life story of Amy MacGregor, who combined playing for a munitions factory football team and nursing shell-shocked soldiers during WWI. This historical story, combined with Robbie’s kind encouragement and an introduction to the sport of squash, all help on her recovery journey. This is a book which shows the positive power of participation in sport as a channel for better mental well-being.
Disclaimer: I am grateful to Literally PR and Sergar Creative for providing me with a copy of Jump 2 ahead of publication and for inviting me to join the blog tour. It was my decision to review this book and all opinions are my own. Do check out the other reviews on the tour schedule.
Cover image by Katie Abey, published by Penguin, 19 September 2024, ISBN: 978-0241679593
This young adult, non-fiction book, written by a neuroscientist, attempts to provide a sensible, balanced explanation for teenagers to help them deal with a common source of conflict that they might face with the adults in their lives – the arguments about mobile phone use.
It is written in a chatty style, with clever use of different typefaces, callouts and illustrations to highlight key information, which I found to be very engaging. Wherever possible, Dr Dean Burnett supports his explanations with evidence from the scientific literature and also presents the historical context for the suspicion about forms of ‘new technology’ across the centuries. The chapters tackle subjects including: the impacts of smartphones on physical and mental health; the perspective of parents who did not grow up with mobile devices; concerns about social status and with whom communication might occur; misinformation and harmful images; rules about the use of phones at school; cyberbullying and personal privacy.
Throughout the book, the author makes it clear that parents are generally seeking to protect their children when they make rules or statements about their perceived dangers of smartphone use. He tries to provide well-balanced discussion of a complex subject by breaking it down into many elements and showing both positives and negatives for each of these small chunks. He is quite honest about the fact that often there are not clear-cut answers to questions and problems, but the evidence needs to be weighed up and sensible decisions made. Although it is quite a substantial length at roughly 450 pages, the bold headings and clear layout make it a book which is easy to dip in and out of, for those who don’t want to read cover-to-cover.
I think that this book would be very useful for many families to read together; it would be a great addition to secondary school libraries and would be a fabulous resource for students looking for a debating subject or extended study project about mobile device use. At the end of the book, there are contact details for organisations which provide support for young people facing mental health or relationship difficulties.
About the author: Dr Dean Burnett is not your typical neuroscientist (if such a thing can be said to exist).
While many prominent scientists who hail from academic families and environments, Dean Burnett was born and raised in a working-class pub in a South Wales mining valley community. Despite the more outgoing, rowdy nature of his family and peers, Dean emerged as a quiet, shy, introverted child, leading him to question why he was so different to those round him. Eventually the thought “Maybe there’s something different about my brain?” occurred to him, causing him to seek out some brain books, to investigate this matter further.
He never did find an answer, but this did result in an interest in the brain and bioscience that pretty much defined the rest of his life.
After being the sole male science A-level student in his secondary school (and being responsible for half the school’s science marks), Dean went to Cardiff University to complete his neuroscience degree, then his neuroscience PhD, before going on to lecture doctors and other professionals about Psychiatry and Mental Health at the Cardiff University medical school. He still lives in Cardiff to this day. He has written this timely book which explores the current state of thinking around the effect of mobile phones on children’s health. It is published on September 19th, the start of the autumn term, when many 11-year-olds are setting off to secondary school with their first smartphone.
Disclaimer: I was sent a review copy of this book by Karen Stretch PR and Penguin Books. It was my decision to write a review and all opinions are my own.
Cover art by Laura Brenlla, published by Oxford Children’s, 3 October 2024 ISBN:987-0192788610
A perfect Halloween treat, featuring a wonderfully tricksy ending, Trick or Treat? is a fun picture book to share with pre-school and early years children during the autumn months.
With shades of Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel, this very modern take on the classic ‘little child confronting a baddie in the woods’ is a hoot! Catherine Emmett’s words pulsate with humour and a lovely rhythm which will make this a joy for adults to read aloud, as the little girl appears to believe that the witch and her home are just outstanding examples of Halloween dress-up. I love the way that the typeface has been used to emphasise key words on each page. The visual storytelling in Laura Brenlla’s distinctive and vibrant illustrations greatly add to the entertainment, I was so impressed at how much expression was contained in the eyes of all the characters. As for the twist in the tale – it’s sure to appeal to youngsters and I predict that multiple readings of this book will be requested!
Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Liz Scott PR and Oxford Children’s Books for sending me a copy of Trick or Treat? ahead of publication. It was my decision to review the book and all opinions are my own.
Cover art by Tom Clohosy Cole, publisher Farshore Books, 26 September 2024, ISBN: 978-0008657062
Taking middle grade comedy horror to new heights, Terror Tower is the sixth and final book in the Dread Wood series written by Jennifer Killick. It is a gripping, funny, moving finale, accomplishing the closure of the series with panache.
The members of Club Loser, Gus, Angelo, Naira, Hallie and Colette have endured six months of close parental supervision while the authorities have tried and failed to locate the evil genetic scientists/school caretakers, the Latchitts. While they wait for their enemies to reveal themselves, our Year 8 heroes have to endure sinister head teacher Mr Hume’s enforced vegan month at school, in the run up to the grand unveiling party for the tower extension he has commissioned at Dread Wood High. When tiny, lime green, carnivorous caterpillars emerge from the trees of Dread Wood, the gang are under no illusions about who is behind the outbreak. Engineering themselves into Saturday morning detention to allow a quiet investigation of the toxic minibeasts, Club Loser return full circle to the situation which brought them together eighteen months previously!
Each of the Dread Wood books absolutely, one hundred per cent falls under the read-for-enjoyment umbrella. I think this title will be hugely popular with readers aged 9 years and upwards, with twists, turns and thrills which make you want to race through the pages. The humour shines through the narrative and Jennifer Killick skilfully deploys some young teen snark whenever the terror level peaks, so that the story stays at the right level of scary for the audience. The tween slang, puns and portmanteau words that punctuate the dialogue always amuse me; so the suspicious looking caterpillars become ‘sussypillars’ and the hazmat-suit-wearing bad guys are referred to as hazmattackers! The tension and danger build at a perfect pace throughout the plot, with a final denouement which is positively cinematic.
As an adult reader, I loved the way that Club Loser have metamorphosed over the series, from a collection of troubled tweens who each had their own rather shameful reason for their first joint detention, to a tight-knit group whose friendship and care for each other is almost palpable. The subconscious message that mistakes in behaviour can be recognised, apologised for, and put right is, I think, a powerful one in an age when pile-ons and ‘cancel-culture’ can seem devastatingly unforgiving at times.
I have thoroughly enjoyed being in the company of Club Loser, you can read my reviews of some earlier books in the series at the links below, and I cannot wait to see what Jennifer Killick comes up with to entertain us in future.
Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Farshore Books for sending me a copy of Terror Tower ahead of publication on 26th September 2024. It was my own decision to review the book and all opinions are my own.
Cover illustration by Alla Khatkevich, published by Quercus Children’s Books an imprint of Hachette Children’s Group, 5 September 2024, ISBN: 978-1786541420 (Hardback)
This epic, gothic fantasy is perfect for anyone looking to sink their teeth into a meaty read in the run up to Halloween! Written primarily for a middle grade audience, I think it will appeal to teens and adult readers alike. Piers Torday is a magnificent writer (you can read my review for The Lost Magician here) and I think this is his best book yet. His writing seems to have an almost hypnotic rhythm, so that I could hardly bear to put this book down, and reaching the end is going to give me a book hangover for the next few days. Thankfully, the book ends on a note which I hope points to a sequel.
There is a beautiful balance between world building and character introduction throughout the story. The reader is plunged straight into the quest for a magical treasure from the opening paragraph, but revelations about the lore of the kingdom of The Claw are dropped into the narrative as new characters are revealed. And what a cast of characters! The two central heroes are Tibor Farkas, a junior werwolf, and his loyal companion Roza, a vampir who has been transformed into a dog. They are both orphans, who have been raised by a powerful, 500-year-old vampir Baron Ambrus in his luxurious House of Gold. However, as Tibor’s 13th birthday approaches, a powerful wizard named Kira Halim arrives on the scene with an ancient, magical statue, a revelation about Tibor’s destiny and plans for Tibor to join the annual quest for the mythical Midnight Treasure.
The adventure is superbly gripping, with a constant theme of light versus dark as some spectacularly nefarious immortals use their dark powers to try to keep their ruling grip on The Claw and prevent the resurgence of the mortals whom they have enslaved for the previous 500 years. Tibor and Roza are aided by a thrilling cast of unexpected allies, of whom I particularly loved three young and fearsome warriors; Oldest, Slightly and Smaller and their awesome water buffalo, Agnes. I will not reveal any more plot details because this novel is so supremely well structured that you need to experience the enjoyment first hand. I will say that the peril and bloodshed is pitched at a level suitable for readers of 9+; the sophistication of the narrative will enthral teen readers; and the discovery of the greatest power, magic and light of all will leave all readers with a warm glow in their hearts.
Put Midnight Treasure on your autumn shopping lists!
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Midnight Treasure by Lucy Clayton at Hachette Children’s Group. It was my decision to review this book and all opinions are my own.
Cover art by Lara Porter, published by New Frontier, 1 May 2024 ISBN: 978-1915167774
This beautifully gentle picture book celebrates inclusivity, friendship and true Olympic Spirit in an accessible story for young children.
Mimmi and Frankie both love to race the clock! Whether it’s getting dressed in the morning, the journey to school, or speed around a race-track, setting new personal bests are always the goal. They share a joint ambition to one day race in the BIG One, feeling the roar of the crowd as they represent their country in front of the lenses of the world. Both face challenges as they train and compete, Mimmi suffers from pre-race nerves which manifest as butterflies in her stomach, while Frankie’s challenge is physical; she requires AFOs (ankle-foot orthoses). However, when Frankie shares her tip that she imagines wings on her trainers which help her soar over the ground, it looks as if Mimmi might be able to use this positive thinking strategy to overcome her nerves. How will the girls fare in their next big race challenge?
The friendship and support that develops between the two girls is perfectly depicted in Lara Porter’s vibrant artwork and Sam Squiers’ positive and encouraging text. I enjoyed the use of Frankie’s mantra, which is repeated throughout the story, and can imagine youngsters will want to join in with this on repeated readings of the book with their adults. This is a lovely book to encourage young children to participate in sport and provides a powerful message that doing your best and being a good sport is what matters most. The inclusive imagery of sporting participants makes this a particularly relevant book as we enjoy the Paris Paralympics, and I would highly recommend Running with Wings to parents, caregivers, teachers and librarians to share with children aged 3-6 years of age.
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Running with Wings by publisher New Frontier. It was my decision to review the book and all opinions are my own.
Cover art by Selom Sunu, published by Penguin, 5 September 2024, ISBN: 978-0241641552
Emmanuel Asuquo is a renowned, financial advisor, media personality, wealth building entrepreneur and international speaker. He grew up on a council estate in Tower Hamlets, East London. His heritage is from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. He left secondary school with 4 GCSE’s and still became the youngest qualified financial advisor at Barclays Bank in the country at age 22. In this book, he sets out to explain financial concepts to a middle grade audience, providing some useful life information which is not always taught in school.
The information is presented in the form of an imaginary challenge, to turn £1 into £1 million! The author is careful to explain that real life will not always follow the path of his narrative, but he breaks the process into steps; from earning money by working in a part-time job, through saving in a bank account, buying property with a mortgage and investing in shares and even cryptocurrencies. At each step on the investment journey, our financial guide ‘Eman’ presents three options: one very safe, one with slightly more risk and more potential upside, and one high risk but potentially high reward alternative. He then goes on to explain which option he would choose and the reasoning behind his decision. I found his explanations to be clear, his narrative voice is warm and engaging and the black and white illustrations by Selom Sunu add to the appeal of the book. I think young readers will also enjoy reading about the celebrity case studies featured. One of the aspects that I found especially appealing was the author’s encouragement to use a percentage of one’s wealth for improving the lives of others, for example by donating to charity or helping out family members. I thought this was refreshing in an age where we have seen too many examples of greed demonstrated by certain individuals, at the expense of others.
I think that The Ultimate Guide to Money will be a useful resource in school PHSE or citizenship lessons, at the end of primary school or the start of secondary school, and would encourage school librarians to add this to their collections. I also think it will appeal to teenagers who enjoy watching Dragon’s Den or The Apprentice.
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Money ahead of publication by publicist Karen Stretch and Penguin. It was my choice to write a review and all opinions are my own.
Cover art by Laura Ellen Anderson, published by Farshore, 29 August 2024, ISBN: 978-0008591366
This is the second adventure for brave young moth Marnie Midnight and her two best friends at the Minibeast Academy, Floyd Flombiddium a flamboyant bee who thinks he’s more of an ‘A’, and ant princess, Star Vonstrosity who is on a mission to avenge her father, armed with a spoon!
Marnie is filled with excitement at the prospect of attending the New Moon Club, a new addition to the curriculum which will be run by her hero Professor Lunora Wingheart who the friends helped to rescue in their first adventure (you can read my review here). Additionally, the Minibeast Academy Great Critter Contest has the three friends planning to combine their individual skills and strengths in an attempt to win the prestigious title. It sounds as if the next few days are going to be filled with positivity and fun…but Marnie’s arch-rival Veronica Spottage, the leader of the ‘Betterflies’ has other ideas! This makes for an adventure filled with challenges, tolerance and bravery which will keep young readers gripped from beginning to end. Veronica is the classic ‘mean girl’ and causes all sorts of chaos, although I have to admit to a soft-spot for her (perhaps for obvious reasons) and for the lessons that her behaviour provides.
There are so many things to love about this book (and the series so far). Firstly, Laura Ellen Anderson’s creativity, which extends far beyond her beautifully detailed and distinctive illustrations. The entire insect world that she has created, encompassing the town of Thimbledown and its prestigious Minibeast Academy, brings together the tropes of a school-based adventure with an astonishing range of scientific learning which is presented so subtly that it never distracts from the story. One example is that we are told that the Book of Moon Spells, which is central to the plot, is divided into eight chapters, each covering a different phase of the moon and theses phases are named at various points in the story. Another example can be found in the different lessons that the three main characters attend: double Night Pollination, Waggle Dancing class and Stridulation Symphony practice; all of which introduce biological concepts and vocabulary which interested readers can follow up on, or which could be incorporated into Forest School or science lessons in schools.
Of course, the illustrations deserve a paragraph all to themselves! The cover is a thing of beauty; the endpapers are glorious; there is a gorgeous map of the layout of the Great Critter Contest challenges in the grounds of the museum; followed by an illustrated guide to the key characters. The story is liberally sprinkled with full-page and inserted illustrations, and even those pages that are full text are edged with minibeast or moon phase images. These all contribute to a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience for young and older readers alike, giving the eyes a chance to pause and rest which is especially important for children at the start of their independent reading journey.
I simply cannot praise this book highly enough and I recommend it to parents, caregivers, primary school teachers and librarians. I think it will be hugely popular with children aged 7 and above (I will certainly be purchasing as a gift for some younger relatives). I cannot wait for the third book in the series and certainly hope that it is going to feature an extremely cute seed who appears during this adventure.
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Marnie Midnight and the Great Critter Contest ahead of publication by Liz Scott PR and Farshore Books. It was my choice to review the book and all opinions are my own.
Cover art Steve Roberts and Joel Stewart, published by Hachette Children’s Books, 1 August 2024, ISBN: 978-1801301534
Today I am delighted to join the blog tour for this fun and quirky graphic novel, and to welcome authors and illustrators Steve Roberts and Joel Stewart to my blog for a Q&A.
I hope that you enjoy learning about Steve and Joel’s creative partnership as much as I did:
Q1. May I start by asking you to introduce us to the Tangletree Mysteries and to your two investigators?
Steve and Joel:
Tangletree Mysteries follows the adventures of a dog detective called Peggy. When Peggy goes for a walk in the park every morning, her owner throws a ball for her into an ordinary-looking patch of trees. But when Peggy enters these trees and comes out the other side she is transformed from a pet dog on all fours to a Mystery solving dog who can walk upright on two paws! She is now in Tangletree, a huge mysterious wood. As Peggy visits Tangletree regularly she has an office and a side-kick – Stuart Moss the shrew! Stuart loves helping Peggy and all things mysterious. He lives with his nan in a small town of brightly coloured wooden houses, alongside loads of eccentric towns folk. Peggy enjoys helping them with all sorts of strange and silly things that happen to them. She loves thinking through challenges and solving mysteries and nearly always keeps cool in unexpected and sometimes scary situations .
Q2. I have read that you have been collaborating on animation for quite some time, what made you decide to write a book together, and how was the Tangletree idea conceived?
Steve:
Joel and I met when we worked together on a TV show called The Adventures of Abney and Teal that was produced by Ragdoll Productions (and created and directed by Joel). I was already working another show for Ragdoll called Dipdap but I joined the writing team and also helped with the design and storyboarded on Abney and Teal. We got on really well and spent a lot of time talking about comics and books that we both like. Then a few years later we co-created another Ragdoll show called B.O.T. and the Beasties. Working together again meant collaborating closely on writing stories, designing the characters and directing animation. All of these seemed to flow naturally into making a comic together. All that chat about other comics set us up to have a go at doing our own. We had both recently got dogs so we also spent quite a bit of time talking about that. I’m sure that was where Tangletree comes from. The idea that your dog has another exciting life when it’s out of sight looking for it ball seemed like a good setup for a story. We were also both fans of the 90’s show Northern Exposure so that was an inspiration and I thought it would be fun to draw animals walking around in outdoor wear! I think also Wind in the Willows was in the back of my head too as it was a childhood favourite. I think this all appealed equally to both of us so it developed pretty naturally and painlessly!
Joel:
Anne Wood had her Cairn terriers at the Ragdoll studios most of the time we were there, too. I only mention that because they’re a little more alike to Peggy than either of our own dogs. Tangletree actually began when we had had about a year of working together but remotely (B.O.T and the Beasties was finished during the early part of lockdown). After that finished we were very used to collaborating in person and at a distance and it was finally time to get going on some comics after we’d been discussing them for so long.
Q3. Do you both create the artwork and write the text? And can you give us an idea about how that actually works in practice?
Steve:
Well a Tangletree story usually starts with a phone call (possibly whilst walking the dog) or a FaceTime. We just come up with a plot idea that we both like and find funny and want to draw. Once we have that vaguely locked down I write it down quickly in a bit of a splurge and share that with Joel. Usually as a big block of text on an email. Joel will then write a pass of this and get it into a clearer shape and edit and add where needed. At this stage we may change the story quite a bit if we realise it could be stronger. When we are both satisfied with the plot, I start drawing out the pages in (digital) pencil, very loosely, to keep the drawing as energetic as possible and also with dialogue in rough speech balloons that might make it to finished book or just be a placeholder. I work in blocks of about five pages and send these roughed out pages to Joel, who draws over and inks them. Luckily we’ve worked together for so long that Joel can make sense of my very loose sketches!
Joel:
I send the black and white pages back to Steve, and especially in the recent stories Steve mostly would add colour and send it back again to me to edit. So it really is back and forth and 50/50.
Finally, I make edits and changes to the dialogue and add the lettering to the speech bubbles ready for delivery. I also tend to do one or passes all through the drawings and fix any inconsistencies that have crept in (Although I’m doing more of the finishing on these stories, I still have quite a wobbly drawing style and sometimes things can drift too far one way or another).
Q4. I grew up watching Scooby Doo, so a dog detective seems perfectly natural to me but can you tell me why Stu the assistant is a shrew, and why did you decide to make all of your characters animals?
Steve:
I was a big fan of ScoobyDoo as a child too but I don’t think that came up when we were developing Tangletree. I think the character of Stu came together very quickly. I think he is a shrew purely because we both like shrews and they are very cute little creatures!
If I’m honest I’m not sure why we made all the characters animals.
As I mentioned in the previous answer, possibly Wind in the Willows and all the classic children’s literature with anthropomorphic characters were an inspiration but also maybe we didn’t feel like drawing human characters and the fact that it takes place in a wood means it makes sense that the characters are all animals.
Joel:
It’s funny about the animals. They aren’t really the kind of anthropomorphic animals that have lots of jokes about the nature of their real world counterparts (apart from Peggy and her ball I suppose!) They represent more the different kinds of characters in a community. In some ways their animal types only differentiate them visually from one another. We both really revelled in the freedom to improvise that doing a comic together gave us that we tried not to think about it too hard!
Q5. Detective mysteries are one of my favourite genres and have been since my childhood discovery of the Famous Five, so I’m really excited for today’s young readers that they can discover the genre in graphic novel form. Did either of you enjoy any particular detective adventure stories or have any favourite authors when you were younger?
Steve:
I must admit I didn’t read a lot detective mysteries when I was a child and don’t now really. I think the only Enid Blyton book I read was The Magical Faraway Tree which I loved. I also had a ‘talking book’ of ‘Alfred Hitchcock’s presents ‘The Three Investigators’ which was a bit obsessed with because it was narrated by Tom Baker and had ludicrous sound effects and was mildly scary. I really liked spooky stories when I was child and loved hunting around the village I grew up in looking for ghosts! I also loved reading comics and my absolute favourite was Asterix but I also read Whizzer and Chips, Buster and the Beano too. I read Roald Dahl as well of course. In particular James and the Giant Peach and there was also a monthly magazine called Storyteller which came with a cassette of the stories narrated by pretty high profile actors and excellent illustrations which I loved and studied closely.
Joel:
I did read Tintin when I was young (although I was probably more taken with the humour of Asterix) some of which has a mystery element. As an adult I do read, watch and listen to a fair amount of detective fiction of most kinds. I love Agatha Christie (especially in book form where there’s a dry wit that’s harder to get across in tv adaptation). I also love Edward Gorey’s take on Agatha Christie as well in books like The Audrey-Gore Legacy. Ultimately we were going for even more of a cozy crime feeling with Tangletree (and its quite nice that in a comic about woodland creatures we can do that in a less bloodthirsty way than even the most cozy of crime dramas!) There’s an American series by John Bellairs that has such fantastic titles as The Lamp form the Warlock’s Tomb and The Dark Secret of Weatherend etc. that I wish I’d had access to as a kid.
Q6. When you are creating the books, what comes first, the story or the pictures – or are they created simultaneously?
Steve:
The story comes first unless we come up with a random character that we love and decide to make up a story about them. But that doesn’t happen too often .
As we develop the story we draw the characters as it helps the writing I think.
Joel:
Story comes first now since we know most of the characters quite well. At the beginning we were probably sharing and developing characters through drawing more. Sometimes still it will be a sketch or a visual idea that sparks off a story idea.
Q7. There is so much detail in every panel of your story, how long does it take to write and draw one of the Tangletree books?
Steve:
That’s tricky. I’m not really sure. Joel may have a better idea about that than me. Maybe six months per story? Maybe more.
We have to draw a huge amount of bushes, trees, grass and pebbles.
But I thoroughly enjoy spending hours drawing foliage and silly animals!
Joel:
Yes, it sometimes is as long as that. Occasionally it goes faster, but it is a labour of love!
Q8. I really appreciate that the text uses lower case rather than all capitals which is often more common in graphic novels. I know from a social media conversation that Joel created the font. Could you tell us about this process and why you chose to do this?
Joel:
I created the font, but it was inspired by some of Steve’s handwritten bits. Mine tend to be more cursive and harder to read! It wasn’t actually a conscious choice to go lower case. I think it is because my earlier versions, which were more like my own handwriting automatically came out that way. That had a look more like some modern french comics, but it felt a bit inaccessible. All caps like many traditional comics have (particularly English language) felt wrong too and what we eventually came up with feels like it strikes a balance with having the feel of a traditional comic but perhaps that little bit more book-like and also easy to read for young readers.
Q9. I can see that a third book in the Tangletree Mysteries is in production, are you allowed to provide any hints at the story lines?
Joel:
I can definitely tell you that they are a couple of our favourite stories, even though I had to contend with drawing hundreds of bicycles (notoriously difficult) for one of them. We have some very strange noises coming from the deepest darkest part of Tangletree which might be putting the local kids, and Peggy and Stu in danger. Then we have some equally strange goings on at the Tangletree Veg Patch where things really get out of hand.
Steve:
The stories in the third book are quite dramatic and action packed. I think they may be my favourite Tangletree stories so far. For the record I did voice my concern about having lots of bikes in one of the stories! It was definitely worth it in the end though.
Finally, can I thank you on behalf of myself and readers of my blog, for taking the time to answer my questions.
Joel:
Thank you for having us!
Steve:
Thank you! It was fun to go back and think about how it all came together.
My review:
The second book in the Tangletree Mysteries graphic novel series is every bit as enjoyable as the first (for which you can read my review here). In Peggy & Stu Play all the Wrong Notes, readers are again treated to two new cases for doggy-detective Peggy and her assistant Stu to crack and in this book we are introduced to the Peskies who play a crucial role in both stories. In the first story, Trumpet Trouble, it is the day of the Spring Dance in Tangletree Wood and Peggy arrives to find the residents busy hanging bunting and happily making preparations. However, band leader Joan’s trumpet is making an ear-splitting din and then takes off on a dash through the wood. Peggy and Stu are on the trail, which leads them into some prickly situations in the murky depths of Shadowy Wood. Will Peggy and Stu have enough puff to reunite Joan and her trumpet and save the dance? Cake Crimes begins with the residents of Tangletree Wood rushing to buy delicious cakes and buns from a new stall set up in the town square, ahead of the grand unveiling of a new statue of Mayor Stacey. Peggy’s detective instincts are in evidence as she notices that two local residents are not as joyous as everyone else though. With most of the woodland folk in a frenzy of gluttony at the cake and bun stall, nobody is very interested in the mayor’s statue and Flo’s cafe is deserted, but there is definitely something sinister about the cake stall and even more so about a new pop-up dentist!
Both stories have just the right amount of mystery and peril for a readership aged 6/7+. The illustrations are full of life and fun and the accessible font in the speech bubbles makes the stories a pleasurable and achievable read for children who are beginning to read independently, as well as a relaxing read for children throughout KS2 in primary schools. I highly recommend the Tangletree Mysteries to primary school class teachers, librarians and parents/caregivers of children of 6/7+.
Disclaimer: I was sent a free copy of this book and invited to join the blogtour by Antonia Wilkinson PR and Hachette Children’s Books. All opinions are my own. Do check out the other stops on the blog tour schedule.
Cover illustration by Tom Roberts, published by Farshore, 12 September 2024, ISBN: 9780008551599
Evenfall: The Golden Linnet is the debut middle grade novel by Alexander Armstrong, and is a sophisticated, contemporary-fantasy novel which gave me vibes of Harry Potter meets the TV series Alias!
Central to the story is thirteen year-old Sam, who lives with his increasingly incapacitated dad Jake, in a small terraced house in Durham. Life has been pretty miserable for father and son ever since Sam’s mum died in a mysterious minibus crash several years earlier. However, Sam has been feeling some very odd fizzing in his chest recently and seems to be strangely drawn to water. With a peculiar gathering of characters calling themselves the ‘Elver’ setting off on a march through England to protect ‘The Tempest’, and a sinister billionaire father-son plot to eliminate the same Tempest and steal his powers, we are off on a thrill-ride of an adventure by the end of the second chapter. Will the legendary Bellasis be found? And who will benefit from the incredible power of the óthr if it is?
The plotting is beautifully paced, with revelations about Sam’s mother and his ancestral history waiting to be discovered at key moments in the narrative. I am not going to reveal any more details for fear of spoiling anyone’s enjoyment when they encounter Evenfall for themselves. I loved the setting in Durham, which has been strangely neglected in children’s fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed the themes of storytelling, the deep and powerful magic of words, and the significance of who controls the narrative. Sam’s deep friendship with Ish, and their developing friendship with Goz are thoroughly believable, and the portrayal of the ways in which Ish’s family provided support to Sam was a heart-warming centre of this epic adventure.
As is often expected with fantasy novels, this is a long book at just under 400 pages and the writing and storylines are complex, so I think it will provide a compelling read for those children who are advanced readers and aged 10+. I believe that the published version will contain illustrations bt the cover artist Tom Roberts. The storytelling, symbolism and fast-paced plot will make it an excellent story for adults to share with children; I know that I would have loved to read this as a bedtime story when my children were young. I think this is sure to be a big hit with upper primary and secondary school libraries, as well as for home book collections. I am eagerly anticipating book two in the series.
Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Farshore Books for sending me an ARC of Evenfall: The Golden Linnet. It is my decision to post a review and all opinions are my own.
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