Non-fiction review: Shadow Monsters & Courageous Hearts by Hayley Graham, illustrated by Tor Allen

Cover image by Tor Allen, published by Little Steps Publishing

As we see increasing reports in the media about the numbers of children suffering with mental health disorders, I am sure that this accessible text by experienced child psychotherapist, Hayley Graham, will be welcomed by many professionals working with children and young people, as well as parents and carers. This book is aimed at adults to enable them to start conversations with young people about mental health issues and is designed in a way that makes its use straightforward and accessible.

In the preface, the author is candid about experiencing her own mental health issues in her teens, following the loss of her mother, and how this has shaped her desire to help others. The book is in part a distillation of her own experiences combined with her lifelong love of stories. The format is interesting and I think many readers will find it easier to use than ploughing through a jargon-heavy psychotherapy text. Hayley Graham presents five emotionally meaningful short stories, each one carefully constructed to help children and their significant adults make sense of particular aspects of mental health. They are gentle stories, featuring animal protagonists and unpick the triggers to certain behaviours in an easily comprehensible way. The distinctive watercolour illustrations by Tor Allen add greatly to the experience of sharing these stories with a young person. Each story is followed by some suggested questions to encourage an open conversation. Then at the end of the book each story has a corresponding chapter which clearly explains the neuroscience behind each of the featured mental health challenges, providing practical techniques to help manage the issue.

The topics covered by the stories are: trauma, anxiety and OCD, attachment, shame and loss. There are top tips on how to begin talking about difficult topics and each of the stories provides the vocabulary which enables feelings and experiences to be expressed. At a time when mental health services are stretched and school staff are often left to try to deal with issues for which they have little or no training, I think that Shadow Monsters and Courageous Hearts will be a valuable resource.

You can view teachers’ notes for this book on the Little Steps Publishing website here.

I am most grateful to Little Steps for sending me a copy of Shadow Monsters and Courageous Hearts which I am very happy to recommend to teachers, librarians, school nurses and counsellors and anyone working to help children find the language to talk about mental health issues.

MG Review: Drumendus by Andrew Ashwin

Published by The Book Guild, autumn 2021

Drumendus is a fantastically imaginative middle grade, story bursting with musical references which whisks readers on a sci-fi voyage pulsating with sonic energy.

Twelve year old Ella Crinkle is held in higher esteem at her school for being the niece of famous astronauts Belinda and Otto Crinkle than for her musical performances on the trombone. Her relatives were the first humans to set foot on Earth’s sibling planet Drumendus, and now that strange weather events visible on the neighboring planet seem to be altering Earth’s meteorological conditions, her own obsession with Drumendus is growing even more intense. Fortunately, after one final excruciating assembly performance on her trusty brass instrument, the school holidays have arrived and that means the traditional week’s visit to eccentric Aunt Belinda’s home, Racket Lodge, where she will meet up with her best friend Freddie.

As the two friends explore Belinda’s latest collection of bizarre inventions they find her most ambitious project to date in the greatly extended workshop – a spaceship in the shape of a grand piano, named Hammerklav. Before you can say “Holst’s Planets Suite”, the trio have blasted off through the workshop roof and set off on a mission to find Uncle Otto who was left behind on Belinda Crinkle’s last visit to Drumendus. What follows is a fast-paced, immersive adventure where every detail resonates with sound and music; names of people and places, the arrangement of tree house pods on ropes which resemble musical staves, and even the “sonorance” superpower that Uncle Otto has learnt how to harness to exert power over the native population.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story which I read in two sittings. The combination of the author, Andrew Ashwin’s musical knowledge with a beautifully imagined fantasy planet, a storyline of colonisation and resistance by a brave rebel tribe and some comedy set pieces featuring King Otto’s incompetent senior guards, Treble and Cloff make this a book that will grab the attention of middle grade readers. I can imagine that my own children would have enjoyed this had it been available when they were attending music lessons in primary school and I would encourage primary school teachers and librarians to put Drumendus into the hands of those pupils who enjoy music as well as those who enjoy an exciting fantasy adventure.

The author has a website dedicated to Drumendus available here where you can find out more about the musical inspiration behind the book. I am most grateful to Andrew Ashwin for sending me a copy of Drumendus in exchange for an honest review.

MG Review: Albi the Glowing Cow Boy by Georgia Byng, illustrated by Angela Cogo

Cover image by Levi Pinfold, published by Uclan Publishing,
5th January 2023

This novel written for a middle grade readership defies categorisation, encompassing themes which encourage all readers to think about the way we treat our planet and the life forms on it. The unusual dual narrative takes readers on a year long journey in the company of Albi, the glowing cow boy of the title and Rufus, a twelve year old human boy with a heart-breaking back story. Georgia Byng has written a beautiful tale which transported me into the minds of two very different protagonists, leaving me with much food for thought.

The story begins with magical snowflakes descending from a cold January night sky and infusing the earth with a glittering of magical energy, some of which is absorbed by an albino new-born calf, Albi. In the opening chapter we are given an introduction to Albi’s herd of cows and through their voices learn about the sadness of cows and calves when they are separated as a routine part of the food industry. In contrast to the close maternal relationships exhibited by the cows, a human family living just a few miles away demonstrates the awful situation that arises from rejection and neglect of a child by his parents. Rufus Chumley is a twelve year old hunter who has learnt to survive independently since early childhood. He has been rejected by his affluent parents, his teachers and the other children at school because a metabolic disorder has caused him to grow far larger than his peers, resulting in complicated expectations and misunderstandings of his abilities. He lives an isolated life, shooting and cooking small mammals and dreaming of winning the Worldwide Hunting Association’s hunting competition in America to prove his worth to his parents.

These two narratives are intertwined when Albi responds to a magical sixth sense after eating milky white mushrooms, and leads the young bullocks in a breakout from the slaughterhouse owned by Mr Chumley. Rufus spies the glowing albino calf crossing a field in the moonlight and decides to run away from home, track the otherworldly animal and turn it into his hunting competition trophy. Thus begins an epic journey which takes the hunter and his prey on a journey across Europe and Asia, encompassing encounters with aurochs; visits to ancient sites and caves; and encounters with people who both love and exploit animals. The brutality of the traditional running of the bulls in Pamplona is shown in marked contrast to the treatment of cows in India.

The interconnectedness between all life on earth is represented in this story by the milky white mushrooms which infuse Albi with his luminescence and his intelligence and fill Rufus with self-esteem for the first time in his life, gradually changing the way he thinks about other creatures. The tendrils which connect all life forms and create ecological balance are surfaced in this magical tale which encourages readers to think about the way that industrial scale farming damages the environment. The power of kindness is shown as a superpower in the words of one of the mother cows:

The more you care about others, the stronger you get.
Page 244

Publishing in January, a time when we are often encouraged to think about reducing the amount of meat in our diets, I think this story will encourage debate around animal welfare and meat consumption in upper key stage 2 and key stage 3 classrooms and I would highly recommend it to all school librarians. Aside from this, it is a story that I am sure will be enjoyed by many children who love animal stories and for whom it can sometimes be difficult to find books in this genre once they move beyond the early chapter books.

I am grateful to Uclan Publishing and Antonia Wilkinson for my review copy received in advance of publication on 5th January 2023.

Audiobook review: The Arctic Railway Assassin by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli

Cover image by Elisa Paganelli, publisher Macmillan Children’s Books

The sixth book in the Adventures on Trains series sees Hal and his Uncle Nat complete their mystery solving train rides in superb style in an adventure that blends high stakes thriller with a Lord of the Rings vibe!

I was fortunate to find this audiobook version available on the Borrowbox App from my local public library just at the point when I was rushing to get Christmas preparations made and did not have time to read a physical book; it was the perfect seasonal accompaniment with its snowy, icy, winter equinox setting. It is now added to my list of book recommendations for the Christmas season having introduced me to the Swedish traditional celebration of the feast of St Lucia. It also contains my favourite line of the entire series:

Never underestimate an angry mum!
no page number due to audio format

We join artistic junior detective Hal as he travels to meet travel journalist Uncle Nat in Stockholm, where the illustrious journalist has accompanied his old university friend to the Nobel Prize ceremony. Morti has been awarded the prize for her work on the use of ultrasound to destroy certain cancer cells and young readers are treated to the same midnight physics lesson as Hal. I loved this element of science education as a natural part of the story throughout this series, which I am sure will awaken scientific curiosity in a cohort of middle grade readers. Despite Nat’s assertion that there will be no mysterious adventures on the train journey to Narvik in the Arctic Circle where he is taking Hal to experience the Northern Lights as his Christmas present, the sudden disappearance of Morti combined with the search for her ex-husband’s “kill code” and the presence of not one but two assassins on the journey north, make a mockery of Nat’s statement. With a new friend, a Sami girl, who introduces Hal to elements of her traditional culture whilst showing exceptional bravery to help him track down the villains, and the unexpected presence of his mum, Hal has all the support he needs to take on ruthless forces.

The plot is perfectly structured, building the tension brilliantly and as always using Hal’s sketchbook illustrations to help uncover the layers of mystery. Obviously listening to the audiobook meant that I did not get to see Elisa Paganelli’s interpretation of Hal’s sketches this time, but my experience of previous books in the series is that her artwork greatly enhances the enjoyment and comprehension of the story. I do not wish to give away any spoilers, so will just add at this point my opinion that Adventures on Trains will become a future classic children’s book series. There is so much depth to these stories as they are built on firm foundations of geography, science and engineering with wonderful characterisation and fully immersive and exciting plots. If you want to get a child of 8/9+ hooked on the magic of fiction, put this book or any other from the series into their hands and watch them embark on a thrill-ride of a reading adventure.

You can read my reviews of previous books in the series here:

The Highland Falcon Thief

Kidnap on the California Comet

Murder on the Safari Star

Sabotage on the Solar Express

Review: Space Blasters ~Suzie and the Moon Bugs by Katie and Kevin Tsang, illustrated by Amy Nguyen

Book cover image by Amy Nguyen, background image copyright free from NASA, book publisher Farshore Books, 05 January 2023

Hold on to your space helmets, Suzie Wen is back for a second action-packed adventure! With foil detailing on the cover, cutely expressive illustrations by Amy Nguyen throughout and fast-paced action, this is the perfect book to encourage 6-8 year olds to read for pleasure.

Although it is the second book in the series, Suzie and the Moon Bugs can easily be read as a standalone thanks to the succinct summary of the backstory provided in chapter one. Readers are plunged straight into the inter-galactic action when TUBS (The Universe’s Best Spaceship) with the Space Blasters crew aboard is forced to crash land on Planet Zorg due to unexplained total systems failure! After hastily evacuating their damaged spaceship Captain Jane, Spaceman Jack, Suzie, Three-headed Tommy and Five-eyed Frank encounter fast growing purple grass and the unsettling replicators as they explore their new surroundings. Thanks to their pre-existing knowledge of the galaxy, the crew realise that they must seek out the knowledge worms who reside in the tunnels deep below the planet’s surface to find out how to repair TUBS. It falls to Suzie and Five-eyed Frank to resume their adventurous partnership, which is nicely balanced between friendly-rivalry and increasing mutual respect, as they venture into the dark tunnels to request assistance from the knowledge worms. The plot includes themes of never being embarrassed to ask questions and admitting and apologising for mistakes which are not dogmatic but enmeshed naturally in the quest.

Katie and Kevin Tsang have written a wonderfully engaging story in which the narrative speeds along at a cracking pace, whilst serving up fascinating science facts and gentle dollops of kind wisdom. The book is perfectly designed for young readers who are building their confidence in independent reading, with short chapters, a clear and large font and plenty of illustrations to break the text into manageable chunks. I highly recommend Suzie and the Moon Bugs as well as the first in the Space Blasters series, Suzie Saves the Universe, as a fantastic choice to offer all readers of 6+. I loved the addition of a new crew member at the end and am looking forward to the next mission, Suzie and the Comet of Chaos!

I am grateful to Farshore Books for sending me a copy of this book in advance of publication on 05 January 2023, in exchange for. my honest opinion.

Non-fiction from Noodle Juice Books – January 2023

I was super-thrilled to return home from work on my last day before Christmas leave and find a second package of books waiting for me courtesy of the new children’s publisher NoodleJuice Books. The two books within fully captured my attention, and I think that they will make excellent additions to primary school libraries or classroom collections or home book collections when they are published in January.

From the ‘little book Big Idea’ series, What is Money? will provide answers to the most inquisitive child who wants to explore this topic. The format of the two books that I have now had the pleasure to read from this series, makes the information easily accessible for children of 6 years and above. Each double page spread poses a question, exactly the sort of query asked by curious children when perhaps they’ve heard something on the news or overheard an adult conversation and want to know: what are taxes? how does money grow? or is money good? The explanations begin with a very short paragraph written in plain English which is then enhanced by small blocks of text accompanied by eye-catching illustrations. The range of questions on the subject of money is comprehensive, ranging from the purely factual to the more philosophical aspects of the good and bad outcomes that individuals can create depending on the way that they choose to use their money.

This combination of Sarah Walden’s age appropriate, clear explanations and the engaging artwork of Katie Rewse allow children the time and space to explore the topic of money and allow them to take the first steps in understanding this complex and essential factor of human society. I am so impressed at the ambition of this book and can see it being enjoyed by certain children in Key Stage 1 and used extensively in PHSE and citizenship lessons and discussions in Key Stage 2 of primary schools. It will certainly be a valuable addition to any school or home collection.

All the World’s a Stage: A Celebration of the Value of Creativity is a glorious, practical guide to performance and fills a big gap in children’s library bookshelves. When I was a primary school librarian and was trying to build a non-fiction collection which catered to the interests of all the children in school, I longed to find a book such as this which would appeal to the talented and creative individuals who loved performing at talent shows or in assemblies, or attended dance classes or music classes or showed flair for art or creative writing. Despite having a scientific background myself, I have been appalled at the low value which seems to have been placed on arts education in recent times. I believe that the UK has fostered creativity in all the arts for many years which in turn has made huge contributions to the prosperity and culture of our nation. This book does a wonderful job of encouraging children to see the value in creativity; presenting information on all forms of performance, from open mic nights to opera. There are timelines of famous musicals; facts about different stage types and famous theatres; and comprehensive details about the film and television industries.

I was particularly impressed by a section towards the end which zooms in on the many different career options available in both film and TV. Starting with a spread entitled: It’s not all greasepaint and applause there then follow pages which detail career options, explaining what the role involves and outlining the skills required for success in the role. This content is presented in coloured blocks with distinctive illustrations, very attractively and clearly laid out in a way which is guaranteed to engage readers of all ages. Readers can learn about a broad range of roles including: being a director, a writer, a set designer or location scout, a special effects technician or a costume designer amongst others. The book ends with straightforward, practical advice on how to make your own film and suggestions of websites for further reading.

I not only applaud Sarah Walden’s ambition in writing this book which is beautifully illustrated by Hannah Li, I give it a standing ovation! I would suggest that it is an essential addition to primary school libraries, Year 6 classroom libraries and Key Stage 3 libraries and drama departments in secondary schools. It would also make a beautiful gift if you happen to know a child who enjoys any kind of performance or creativity.

Both What is Money? and All the World’s a Stage: A Celebration of the Value of Creativity will be published by Noodle Juice Books on 12th January 2023 and I am most grateful to the publishers for my review copies in exchange for an honest review.

2022 Reading Highlights

So here it is; I offer you my highlights from newly published books that I’ve read this year. It is always so difficult to pick out just a few, but these are the books that have stayed in my head and my heart long after I finished reading them. I offer them to you, in case you are looking for a bookish gift and are still wondering what to choose from the huge and tempting selections on the bookshop shelves. From the sixty or so books that I’ve read this year, here are my favourites by age category.

Picture Books: For the youngest readers, this selection provides gentle stories combined with gloriously vibrant illustrations to enjoy every time the covers are opened. Read my reviews for the two Tatty Mouse stories and The Marvellous Doctors for Magical Creatures.

Illustrated Chapter Books: For any young readers who are just gaining their confidence in reading independently, the books in this selection offer entertainment presented in short chapters with the text broken up by illustrations. You can read full reviews of each story by clicking on the links: Wildsmith, The Little Match Girl Strikes Back, Rainbow Grey Eye of the Storm, Edie and the Flits in Paris and Breakfast Club Adventures The Beast Beyond the Fence.

MG Highlights: Three of my favourite MG stories were sequels and so well written that I thoroughly enjoyed them, despite not having read the first in each series: The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers, The Butterfly Club: The Mummy’s Curse and Amari and the Great Game. I hope that Seed might have a sequel, the story certainly ended on a note that cries out for a follow up. Wished by Lissa Evans is absolute perfection, she is one of my favourite authors of both adult and children’s books and I love this story.

Young Teen Highlights: I highly recommend these outstandingly well-crafted novels to readers just moving on from primary to secondary school, looking for immersive and enjoyable reads with rich underlying themes. Reviews are available by clicking the links: War of the Wind, The Raven’s Song, Ghostlight and The Haunted Hills.

The YA books that I have read this year indicate to me that there has been a huge improvement in the scope and quality of books for this readership. These three are superb; a story full of righteous anger told in free verse, a reimagining of Greek myth and a deeply moving reflection on grief. Read my full reviews by clicking on the links: Activist, Her Dark Wings and Aftershocks.

Adult Books: The majority of books that I read in my bookclubs this year were not newly published, Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr I think was published just at the end of 2021, so I am perhaps cheating a little by including it here, but it held me enthralled throughout and I loved the way that the multiple narratives were pulled together at the end. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus was a birthday present and dredged up some long forgotten knowledge from undergraduate studies, made me laugh, made me cry and was the perfect summer holiday read and I can’t even begin to describe the work of genius that is Super-Infinite.

I shall end by thanking the wonderful blogging community that I am a part of, for constant inspiration and encouragement. Thank you to the authors, illustrators and publishers who constantly strive to create books that appeal to all tastes, and grateful thanks to the book PRs who send me review copies. I hope that you’ve enjoyed some of my reading highlights from this year, let me know if you have read any of these in the comments. Wishing all my readers a very happy and peaceful Christmas, however you choose to celebrate during this festive season.

New children’s book publisher – Noodle Juice

What is Philosophy and Elephant Makes a Smell, December 2022 publications from Noodle Juice

It is always good to see new publishers innovating to switch children on to reading, thus I was delighted to receive this dazzling package from new children’s publisher, Noodle Juice Books. The brains behind this operation are husband and wife team, Mark and Sarah Walden, who between them have many years experience in the children’s publishing industry. These first two publications certainly set a high standard and make me very excited about a new stream of fantastic book choices for young readers.

Firstly we have Elephant Makes a Smell, a vibrant, witty, rhyming board book on the subject of manners! The fabulous illustrations by Mr Griff portray the humour in the many malodorous situations created by elephant’s antics. The choice of an elephant to depict the smelly conditions caused by some thoughtless behaviours is sure to make little children smile, and elephant’s cute animal friends with their nose pegs and breathe-holding expressions will be very appealing. The humorous rhymes bear repeated reading, which I suspect will be demanded by youngsters who will be awaiting the final line with glee!

The second title is What is Philosophy? which is the first in a series called Little Book Big Idea. This is written by the Noodle Juice team and illustrated by Katie Rewse, in a format suitable for children aged from 5 upwards. Each double-page spread poses one question with multiple answers expressed in just a few words adjacent to a clear illustration. The artwork depicts settings that will be familiar to a young readership such as classrooms and playgrounds, helping to contextualise the information. I love the effort that has been put into ensuring that all children will be able to recognise themselves in this book, and the range of questions and answers are likely to satisfy the most curious young reader. My particular favourite page poses the question, “what should I say?” and is filled with answers which encourage kindness and thoughtfulness when choosing which words to use. With a clear and comprehensive glossary at the back, this is a beautifully produced non-fiction book which I would highly recommend to any primary school library, Key Stage One classroom or home containing inquisitive children.

I am most grateful to Noodle Juice Books and Antonia Wilkinson PR for my gifted copies of these books in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Filippo, Me and the Cherry Tree by Paola Peretti, translated by Denise Muir

Cover illustration David Dean, published by Hot Key Books,
August 2022

This slim novel, translated from Italian, speaks volumes in the most beautiful sensory language. It is a coming of age story, narrated by thirteen year old Mafalda who is coming to terms with sight loss, a shift in the family environment and her unfolding feelings for Filippo. Written by Italian author, Paola Peretti, who herself suffers from a genetic illness which causes progressive loss of vision, the synesthetic descriptions hold authentic power.

Each chapter begins with Mafalda dictating her dreams, nightmares and emotions into her voice recorder which adds another level to the empathy generated by the narrative. She has been plunged into two levels of darkness. The first is the literal removal of light and colour from her world as her illness has taken away her sight. On top of this is the metaphorical shadow thrown over the family unit by her father Giovanni’s unemployment. As he lies in bed day after day her mother works longer hours to pay the bills and Mafalda can no longer detect any hope in Dad’s voice:

I usually imagine words of hope, or just nice words in general, to be the colour blue. Dad’s words have no colour.
page 11

Fortunately for Mafalda, she can always rely on her best friend Filippo to support her. He walks her to and from school, meets her at break and lunchtimes and is available in the evenings for homework or pizza. Hints are dropped throughout the story about his struggles with school work and unconventional approach to school, and eventually his dyslexia is revealed. The mutual support of two characters who are each isolated by requiring additional support at school is sensitively handled. All is not plain sailing for their relationship however as “mean girl” Debbie begins to tease Mafalda about her “boyfriend” and then tries to drive a wedge between them. This in turn encourages Mafalda to interrogate her true feelings for Filippo.

Additional relationships unfold for Mafalda during the story. She begins to help her initially grumpy, aged upstairs neighbour Mr Rossi, who in exchange helps her unravel the meanings of the classic novels for which she has to produce book reports. Thus we are presented with some clever juxtapositions of Dickens’ characters with Mafalda’s situation. Secondly is a slightly mystical relationship with a free-spirited, homeless character, Elsa, who encourages Mafalda to follow her dreams. Throughout the narrative there are references to the cherry tree which grows beside the school and is a place of sanctuary for Mafalda, providing physical and emotional refuge, and for cat lovers, I am sure that her relationship with Ottimo Turcaret will be very familiar.

This is a gorgeous story that I think would appeal to mature readers in Year 6 as well as children in the early stage of secondary/high school who are at the same stage of emotional development as the main protagonists. Reading it has made me realise how infrequently I read texts which have originated in languages other than English and I have just ordered the prequel, The Distance Between Me, and the Cherry Tree to start redressing that imbalance. I must give credit to the translator Denise Muir, as the story flows perfectly with no hint of inconsistencies in the vocabulary.

I am most grateful to Antonia Wilkinson PR and Hot Key Books for sending me a review copy of Filippo, Me and the Cherry Tree in exchange for my honest opinion.

#Christmas Picture Books: Refuge by Anne Booth and Sam Usher

Cover illustration by Sam Usher, published by Nosy Crow, 2015

Today I am revisiting one of my all-time favourite picture books, Refuge. It was first published in 2015 and resonates as powerfully now as it did then. The marriage of Anne Booth’s thoughtful retelling of the Nativity story with Sam Usher’s artwork is utter perfection, drawing parallels between the ancient story and the plight of so many in the present day.

Before the title page, the clue to the narrator is given in a spread depicting a small donkey tethered outside a small dwelling, set against a huge golden sky. The book begins with a stark sentence on a spread which shows three small figures travelling across a vast landscape:

The man led me, and I carried the woman all the way to Bethlehem…
page 2

Subsequent pages reveal the traditional story of the birth of a baby, and visitations by shepherds and kings. However, the story is extended beyond that normally enacted in a school nativity, with the new family fleeing from a dream of danger, under cover of darkness. The flight into Egypt is recounted with simple words and compelling illustrations which encourage you to pause and reflect on the whole picture; a universal, poignant tale of love and hope. The descriptions of the parents kissing their new baby before wrapping him up for a journey into the unknown to flee the danger that threatens them is quite heartbreaking when you appreciate that this situation faces so many families in the world today. The washed out greys and blues of Sam Usher’s art invoke a sense of exhaustion but every time I open this book I am moved by the use of gold and deep yellows to express hope and kindness and love.

The repeated phrase “the kindness of strangers” reminds us of the essence of Christmas and I feel that Anne Booth, in writing this book without specifically naming Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, must have intended to make us consider the many families who need our love and kindness. I think that it is a wonderful book that could be shared with children of any age within a primary school setting or amongst families at home. It is a book to prompt valuable discussion and quiet reflection and I think that its universal theme makes it appropriate for everyone. I love this book and I hope that you will too.

This post was updated from the original on 8th December 2025