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.

Picture Book Review: Pick a Story-A Superhero + Mermaid + Dragon Adventure by Sarah Coyle and Adam Walker-Parker

Cover image by Adam Walker-Parker, published by Farshore, 3 August 2023

What better way to introduce pre-school children to story books than to give them agency in the story-telling process? The third Pick a Story adventure by author Sarah Coyle does just that, providing an immersive experience in which children can interact with the narrative process, choosing which way they would like the story arc to develop. This book provides so many opportunities for children and adults to engage with story structure and ensures that reading time is always an enjoyable experience.

The sparkly, shiny cover is very enticing and the supersaturated colours are continued inside, where every page is bursting with action as readers set Davy on different paths to find his missing painting. There is something for everyone, with options to follow a superhero, a mermaid or a dragon storyline. Additionally, many of the pages and spreads have counting, searching or even maze-following activities. Adam Walker-Parker’s illustrated characters with their appealing, large eyes and expressive faces will be very appealing to children of 3-6, there is so much happening on every page that I’m sure this book will be revisited many times.

I am most grateful to Farshore for providing me with a review copy of Pick a Story – A Superhero + Mermaid + Dragon Adventure, prior to publication on 3rd August 2023.

You can read my review of Book 2 in the series, A Dinosaur + Unicorn + Robot Adventure, here.

MG Review: Yomi and the Fury of Ninki Nanka by Davina Tijani, illustrated by Adam Douglas-Bagley

Cover illustration by Adam Douglas-Bagley, published by Little Tiger Press, July 2023

The Nkara Chronicles roar into action with this first adventure, Yomi and the Fury of Ninki Nanka, a book which I am sure will be flying off the bookshelves faster than a river dragon! It’s an exciting mix of African mythology, fast-paced adventure and exotic setting, written with verve by Davina Tijani and distinctively illustrated by Adam Douglas-Bagley. The short, kinetic chapters filled with movement and dialogue are likely to propel even the most reluctant reader through this story.

Yomi and her younger brother Kayode have been allowed to accompany their Uncle Olu on his research trip to The Gambia. Uncle Olu is an expert in the mythological creatures of the African continent and the children love to listen to his tales of the river god, Ninki Nanka, which is said to inhabit the Gambia River. However, Uncle Olu starts to behave suspiciously and his inquisitive niece and nephew are soon plunged into an adventure that will take them to the marshy realm of a giant hippo and the sky prison of a ruthless league of hunters. Along the way they will learn of a magical force that might help to save the legendary Nkara animals; a secret society in whose headquarters they will discover some incredibly cool library books; and will extract themselves from some sticky situations using knowledge gleaned from their favourite Arabella Carter adventure comics!

This is a book that is sure to excite readers of 7-10 and I highly recommend it to parents and guardians who might be looking for an engrossing book for their key stage 2 child to read during the summer holidays and certainly for school librarians and public librarians to add to their collections for the new school term. The great news is that the next adventure will take the adventurers to Senegal and there is a sneak peek at Chapter One at the end of this book!

I am grateful to Little Tiger for sending me a review copy of Yomi and the Fury of Ninki Nanka, which is available from booksellers now.

MG Review: Kicked Out by A.M. Dassu

Cover illustration by Zainab ‘Daby’ Faidhi, published by Old Barn Books, 19 October 2023

I read the majority of Kicked Out on a return train journey last week, and such was the hold of the story that I almost wished for a delay so that I could finish the book! The first thing that I will say is that if you haven’t read Boy, Everywhere yet, I would strongly encourage you to do so, in order to have the back stories of the main protagonists of this story.

Sami and his family are now settled in Manchester and his Dad (Baba) is now working at the hospital, having proved his status as a surgeon. However, the asylum process has not worked out so well for Aadam, the unaccompanied Syrian teen whom they met on the journey to the UK and who has been welcomed into their home. He did not have his official documents with him and under the stress of interview he made some mistakes when recounting dates in his asylum claim; he is therefore threatened with deportation unless he can raise £4000 for legal fees to launch an appeal. Boy, Everywhere provided readers with an insight into a refugee journey and Kicked Out continues to educate us in the process that an individual who wishes to claim refugee status must complete.

Meanwhile, Mark’s life has changed radically following his Mum’s big win on the lottery. He and Mum have moved from a council flat into a gated community in Hale Barns, and he is grateful to see his Mum happy for the first time since she was widowed years earlier. Unfortunately, her new boyfriend Callum, is a bullying racist who has no qualms about wearing a T-shirt bearing a racist slogan and hurling racist abuse at Mark’s best friends, Ali and Sami. The boys go from enjoying lazy days by the heated pool to being thrown off the property and banned from associating with Mark, when Callum accuses them of helping Aadam to steal thousands of pounds in cash.

Ali then suffers a further blow when his absent father, who has not had any contact with the family since walking out on them years earlier, turns up in the neighbourhood and Ali’s half-brother, Mustafa, joins Ali’s school. This story is narrated by Ali, and his pain at the rejection by his father; his resentment that his half-brother has replaced him in his Dad’s affections; his feelings of low self-esteem that gradually build to anger and lashing out at those around him, are explored in a way that will be recognisable to readers of 10 to 15. I really liked the way that author A.M. Dassu explores the unwillingness of boys to openly admit their feelings, whether due to pride or the desire to not involve others in their suffering. She also cleverly delivers the message of finding the inner strength to face up to difficult situations through the voice of a premier league goalkeeper, which will be appealing to many readers of this novel. I love the way that male friendship is investigated, and the importance of having a supportive network is highlighted.

This is a book that shows children the many different experiences of family that might be the reality for their classmates, the importance of forgiveness and the power and sense of belonging that can be found in friends and found-families. With a football-related school-fundraising scheme designed to help a young person who is facing the cruelty of deportation, this is an empathy-builder which I am sure will be in great demand when it is published in the autumn of 2023.

I am most grateful to Ruth at Old Barn Books and Liz Scott PR for sending me an early review copy prior to publication on 19 October 2023. The book is available for pre-order now.

Beat the Backlist MG Review: Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild by Philip Reeve, illustrated by Paddy Donnelly

Cover illustration by Paddy Donnelly, published by David Fickling Books, September 2022

If you have not already read the first book in this series, Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep, then I urge you to do so as this book will offer a far richer reading experience if you have spent time with the characters in book 1. This story commences, with a decommissioned soldier, Figgy Dan, battling against the constant noises in his head after serving in the Napoleonic Wars and seeking sanctuary on the island of Summertide. This brief encounter with the shabby soldier ends abruptly when he sees a ghostly apparition, we are then plunged into the story and will have to wait to find out what has befallen him!

Meanwhile, on Wildsea, Utterly Dark’s Uncle Will is about to marry Aish, and the residents of Sundown Watch are all a-flutter with the wedding preparations. Shortly after the marriage Will is summoned by his cousin Francis Inshaw to visit him on Summertide and provide his geological opinion on some Druidic stones which stand on his land. Aish, who is an ancient being of the land, will not travel by sea but instead encourages Will to take Utterly with him to Summertide, and Egg who has decided that his duty lies in protecting the Dark family, stows away on the boat which transports them across the Eastern Sea. On arrival at Inshaw’s grand home, Barrowchurch Grange, it is clear that Inshaw is still deeply grieving the recent death of his twin sister Elizabeth. A strange clergyman, Dr Hyssop, appears to have a creepy hold over him and a sense of foreboding starts to build in the narrative. Both Utterly and Aish are being visited in their dreams by the apparition of a huge black stag and Aish has apparently been aware of the existence of this creature for many centuries. In parallel to these dreams, Utterly is also haunted by flickers of memories of her previous adventure with the Gorm. She knows that there is a vital truth that lies just out of her reach, and this thought preoccupies her and perhaps lowers her guard to the evil schemes of Dr Hyssop.

In contrast to the ocean based first adventure, Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild is a story of the land and is suffused with the folklore inherent in landscapes. The local stories about the chalk man on the hillside, the ancient standing stones and the tricksy river witch who is encountered by Egg, all contribute to an atmosphere of a land steeped in past mysteries which are biding their time to reappear. When the narrative takes Utterly below ground, Philip Reeve’s powers of descriptive writing are such that the smell of loamy soil and the scuttlings of creatures in the undergrowth can virtually be sensed by the reader. The final third of the book held me absolutely spellbound, the relentless pursuit of dominance by The Hunter is beautifully paced and the final plot twist leaves the reader desperately anticipating the final book in the trilogy, Utterly Dark and the Tides of Time.

I am most grateful to David Fickling Books and Liz Scott PR for sending me a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.