Cover art by Elissa Elwick, published by Little Tiger Press, 13th October 2022
As the leaves fall and the evenings draw in, you couldn’t wish for a more perfect autumnal book to share with a young reader than the latest Midnight adventure. Once again Michelle Harrison has conjured a perfect rhyming adventure for magical cat Midnight and the gorgeous and fun-filled illustrations by Elissa Elwick, rendered in rich browns and orange make this an absolute treasure for young readers.
I love the autumn garden setting, with Trixie, Doodle the dog and Midnight, playing at being spies, pirates, prisoners and astronauts whilst Dad and Nan sweep the leaves and tidy the garden ready for winter. When mischievous Midnight twitches her whiskers to conjure a fabulous, friendly, flying, leaf dragon the friends don’t realise that the spell has been witnessed by an individual in desperate need of a magical boost. The gentle and sensible messages about not talking to strangers and what to do if you get lost, are perfectly pitched for the intended readership and the resolution of the story was perfect in my eyes. This is another of those books which presents newly independent readers with an enjoyable reading experience, enabling them to find a sense of achievement in reading short blocks of text, short chapters and a thoroughly engaging story.
If you are a school librarian, a Key Stage 1 or even Year 3 teacher or a relative or carer of a child of 6-8, then treat them this Halloween to a copy of Midnight Magic Witch Trap. It’s sweeter than a toffee apple and a whole lot more satisfying!
I am most grateful to Little Tiger Press for my gifted review copy in return for my honest opinion.
cover image by Katy Riddell, published by Piccadilly Press, September 2022
This second book in the Woodland Magic series is every bit as delightful as the first, which I previously reviewed here: Woodland Magic Fox Cub Rescue. It again features Cora and Jax as the two main protagonists, with them trying once more to become fully trained Keepers but struggling to stick to the task they have been set!
If you have not read the first book in the series, don’t worry because in the first chapter author Julie Sykes includes a brief recap on the role of the tiny Keepers who live in the centre of Whispering Woods and venture into the Big Outside to tidy up and rewild when the Ruffins are not around. With their cobweb bags full of seeds, they venture out into the human-inhabited world before dawn and after dusk, sprinkling the barren earth with wild seeds and a touch of woodland magic to restore the balance of nature. They are always on the lookout for natural treasures to take back to the head Keeper for use in their community, thereby making young readers stop and observe the beauty of the natural world through their eyes:
They were black and white with a shimmery line of blue.
p3
This is Cora’s observation of the magpie feathers she has found.
When Cora and Jax are tasked with creating a hedgehog highway through the garden fences of a newly built housing estate, the race is on to finish the task before the workmen return to their bulldozers and tractors. What will they do when a young deer bounces out of the woods and gets into trouble in a deep trench?
I love the concept and execution of these stories. Deer in Danger, like its predecessor provides a gentle discovery of the natural environment that can be so easy to take for granted. The Keepers’ veneration of nature makes readers see flower petals, British wildlife and the natural landscape through fresh eyes. Cora and Jax, as well as their friends Trix and Nis are recognisably cheeky, curious and lovable characters who have to fight the urge to mess around in order to complete the important work they are tasked with. They demonstrate great teamwork and support for each other in this engaging and heartwarming story. At just over 100 pages, printed in a slightly enlarged font and illustrated throughout with Katy Riddell’s beautiful greyscale artwork, Woodland Magic Deer in Danger is a perfect book to encourage emerging young readers to complete an independent read and thus gain satisfaction in their new found skill. Highly recommended for children of 7-9 years of age.
I am most grateful to Antonia Wilkinson and Piccadilly Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Cover image by Yuzhen Cai, publisher Guppy Books, 12th October 2022
This is one of those books that made such an emotional impact on me that I am not sure that I can do it justice in a review, so I am going to start by simply saying that I think everyone over the age of 13/14 should read it; teenagers, parents, carers, grandparents and anyone who in any way works with or on behalf of young people. It is a profoundly moving novel written in free verse and inspired by the stories posted on the website, Everyone’s Invited, where young people posted their school experiences of sexual harassment and even rape by fellow pupils. It is hard-hitting but necessary in a climate where some voices continue to be shouted down by aggressors and abusers can be enabled by systematic failings.
Author and teacher Louisa Reid has fictionalised and coalesced these reports into a narrative which is presented in the rawly emotional voice of Cassie, a determined, articulate and vulnerable sixth former who decides to take action when adults in authority fail the children in their care. Reading this harrowing but ultimately uplifting narrative in poetic form tapped directly into my emotions and I feel sure will make all readers empathise with those who have suffered from either physical, verbal or online abuse. The portrayal of a misogynistic, sexist, abusive culture at an exclusive fee-paying school, where the teachers appear to collude with the braying bullies in making female pupils feel entirely unprotected and unsupported, made me seethe with anger in the same way as Cassie. Her indefatigable spirit as she fights to get the voices of girls heard by her mother and grandparents as well as school staff is eye-opening. The constant advice from adults to just keep quiet and accept things as they are for the sake of a good education, and to open doors to better prospects, reflects the lack of change in attitudes by some sections of society and the continuation of inequalities. It is heartbreaking to realise that in the 21st century, females are still battling to have their truth listened to.
Silence isn’t golden, as they say,
silence is
a sea of drowning
girls.
p170
I think this narrative of a relatable teenager encouraging others to stand up for what is right and finding her strength even when she is at her most vulnerable will be incredibly inspiring for all teenagers to read. There is nuance here, with some boys showing abhorrence at the behaviour of their peers and exhibiting solidarity with the girls; the range of behaviours portrayed by different characters could be used to prompt discussions in PHSE lessons. The second storyline of a campaign to save a local woodland from the greed of developers is an interesting parallel; the pillage of mother nature and an environment where Cassie and her friends previously found solace, emphasising the brutal way that some people take what they want with no thought for the rights or needs of others. I certainly recommend that all secondary school librarians should purchase a copy of this book, and suggest that staff as well as pupils read it; I know that Cassie’s story will live long in my heart. Louisa Reid’s writing is searingly honest, every word perfectly chosen to deliver maximum impact. I have not read any of her previous verse novels but I will certainly be seeking them out after reading Activist.
I am most grateful to Bella Pearson at Guppy Books and Liz Scott who sent me an advanced copy of Activist in exchange for my honest review. It will be published on 12th October and can be pre-ordered from all the usual sellers now.
Cover image by Brittany Jackson, published by Farshore, 1st September 2022
The second adventure in the Amari series, Amari and the Great Game, is an absolute must-read for anyone of 9+ who loves a thrilling magical adventure. This story crackles with imagination, ripples with plot twists and ultimately delivers an explosive finale which sets up the continuation of the series.
Don’t worry if you have not read the first instalment, Amari and the Night Brothers, the back story is summarised in the opening chapters allowing you to enjoy this book as a standalone. However, I am pretty certain that reading this story will encourage you to seek out and read the opening book in the series if you have not already done so. The imaginative world-building of a contemporary Atlanta, where supernatural creatures live amongst the human population, disguised to all but members of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, is perfectly constructed. Reading this series has given me the same sense of excitement at entering an alternative universe as I had when reading the Harry Potter books to my children more than 20 years ago.
Here, we join our main protagonist Amari, a 13 year-old black girl from the housing projects, as she adjusts to her new-found fame amongst the supernatural community following her recent defeat of fellow magician, Dylan van Helsing. Dylan had been working for the scourge of the magical world, Moreau Night and had double-crossed his master in a bid for domination of the community of magicians. The supernatural social media platform Eurg is filled with stories and video of Amaria and Dylan’s magical duel, but not all the commentary is in Amari’s favour. There are elements in the supernatural world who do not trust magicians and believe that everyone with this magical power must be evil simply because the Night Brothers who started the Ancient War, were magicians.
The plot of this compelling story revolves around the issue of scapegoating and “othering” certain sections of a community and the way that individuals with tyrannical intentions can manipulate media and thus populations to sow division, create unrest and grab power. With subplots involving the secret League of Magicians; dark magick which enables time to be frozen; friendships put under strain when communication goes awry; and a deadly game from which only one magician can emerge with their magic intact, this is a narrative that will keep readers turning the pages long after bedtime! The time freeze that occurs at the start of the book has left most of the supernatural world’s ruling council inanimate and Amari and her loyal band of friends are determined to investigate and discover who is behind the plot to seize control of their world. I won’t give any more plot details for fear of ruining anyone’s enjoyment.
Amari is a fantastic main protagonist and the friendship portrayed with Elsie is one which many young readers will relate to, with tension and misunderstandings but ultimately loyalty and mutual support. Her love for older brother Quinton is beautifully rendered, as she rises to every challenge to free him from the curse that Dylan cast on him. For this reader, Amari’s most important quality is the ability to believe that there is goodness in everyone, including her nemesis Dylan. Despite his betrayal of her, and the resultant UnWanteds Policy of the new Deputy Prime Minister prompted by the fear of magicians that he has caused, she continues to insist that Dylan retains a kernel of goodness. I think that this is such a hopeful element in a wonderfully entertaining novel for middle grade readers.
Amari and the Great Game was published on 1st September 2022 and I am most grateful to Hannah Penny and Farshore Books for my review copy in return for my honest opinion.
If you are looking for an immersive, magical adventure for children of 9+, this is a book that I highly recommend.
It is always such a treat to receive new titles from Catch a Star, they produce books which have been designed, written, illustrated and produced with meticulous care to appeal to toddlers and pre-school children. With immaculate timing, the gifted partnership of author Hilary Robinson and illustrator Mandy Stanley have created a new series featuring Tatty Mouse. She is the perfect character for our new age of austerity and up-cycling to increase sustainability.
When Tatty Mouse wants to participate in an activity, she doesn’t let a lack of equipment get in her way. Instead she turns to her instruction books, her tool kit, paints, glue, tape and discarded household objects and creates whatever she needs; whether it’s a musical instrument or a go-cart! Hilary Robinson’s sparse text tells the stories perfectly, with humour inserted through speech bubbles and added interactive interest in the form of “can you find” callouts which are cleverly designed in a recycling-style logo. Mandy Stanley’s artwork is absolutely stunning, the images pop off the page with the 3-D effects gloriously enhanced by the lift-the-flaps element of the books. Tatty Mouse is an adorable character, with her expressive face, dungarees and tool belt accessorised with what looks like a home-made necklace.
In both Tatty Mouse Rock Star and Tatty Mouse Super Racer, every page is packed with interest and vibrates with colour which will stimulate so many opportunities for conversation and vocabulary building when shared with young children. The pages and flaps are constructed from thick, high quality card that will bear up to repeated reading which is fortunate as I am sure that these books are going to be extremely popular with their target audience. It is so important to generate a love of books in children at the earliest opportunity and if you are the carer of a pre-school child, I absolutely recommend the Tatty Mouse books to begin their book adventures.
I am grateful to publishers Catch A Star for sending me review copies of these books in return for my honest opinion.
Cover image by Joanna Hunt, published by Old Barn Books, October 2022
A tale of survival, discovery and hope in a vividly imagined near-future where the population makes reparation for the climate crimes of the past, this new novel jointly written by an Australian and a New Zealand author is thought-provokingly brilliant. I think that the cover image by Joanna Hunt does full justice to the narrative’s imagery of two world’s colliding in a mystical space.
Shelby Jones, known as Shel by those closest to her, helps her dad manage a chicken farm. Her neighbour and best friend Davy helps his family run a sheep farm. Their world comprises exactly seven hundred hectares enclosed within an impenetrable fence and populated by precisely three hundred and fifty kind, ethical people. They know that another closed township exists a distance away, but travel outside their compound is out of the question and one of their main priorities is the daily check of their sections of the fence for any breeches in its security. As Shel’s first person narrative states in the first chapter:
If anything from the honoured and natural world gets in, that’s on us.
p5
This strictly controlled world order is based on scientific analysis of the ability of the land to support human life following the climate-based disasters caused by earlier generations with their greed and disregard for the environmental damage they were causing. Now Shel and Davy’s generation must pay the cost; living low-tech, sustainable lives while the planet recovers. School history lessons repeatedly remind the children that they must endure a simplified, hardworking lifestyle in stark contrast to the technological advances that were enjoyed by their forebears but which caused existential chaos across the earth. The reverence in which the natural world is held is highlighted by the language, the title “honoured” bestowed on every reference to a part of nature from critter to mountain!
When a sheep goes missing from Davy’s farm the children find an unnatural cut in the fence and spy an unusual reflective disc tied to a distant tree in the jungle beyond the boundary of their world. This leads Shel to begin questioning what might have been on their land and the jungle that surrounds it, before the township was created and sets the tale of discovery in motion.
In a dual narrative we are introduced to the aptly-named Phoenix, who sees strange visions featuring a raven during the night, and his long dead mother at the window during the day. Combined with his sleepwalking, his Gran declares he has a sixth sense, a gift passed down from previous generations. Phoenix’s younger brother Walter seems to have linked visions and his sister Ida declares that ravens are birds of prophecy and that the visions are meaningful messages from the spirit realm. After a sleepwalk in the bog results in a bagful of objects linked to their dead mother, Phoenix and his four siblings decide that it is time to visit their mother’s memorial tree, planted in a small forest in the middle of their city. The mystical connection to a far distant past which occurs at this point left me intrigued and mesmerised and from this point I could not stop reading until the end of the story.
The connections across time between the narratives emerge in a plot which combines ecological science with poetic mythology. The duality of a fully preserved human child emerging from the liquid depths of a bog, and child victims of an incurable virus being suspended in time awaiting a scientific breakthrough is perfectly rendered in a complex and intriguing mystery. The themes of children teetering on the brink of adulthood and having their futures sacrificed by adult carelessness is as heart-breaking as it is beautifully and metaphorically written.
This is such a timely tale as the world emerges from the onslaught of COVID-19 and following a summer in which extreme climate events have been reported from all around the world. It is a story which certainly makes you think about they way we are treating the planet, the lessons we should be learning from the past and is ultimately a salute to human resilience and the value of taking responsibility to make a difference. When Shel and Phoenix’s existences finally collide, she says with the straightforward truth of youthful thinking:
You was just a kid. There’s not much you can do ’bout the world you’s born into, I guess, ‘cept try to walk real gentle where you can and give voice to the critters that’s too quiet to be heard and be a different kind of adult when you grow up.
p262
I highly recommend this book to mature readers of 11+ and would encourage all secondary school librarians to place a copy in their collections where I am certain it will appeal to teenagers who are environmentally aware. Pre-order your copy today!
I am most grateful to Ruth at Old Barn Books and Liz Scott for providing me with access to an e-book version of The Raven’s Song ahead of publication on 6th October 2022.
Cover artwork by Heidi Olivia Cannon, published by Uclan Publishing, 1st September 2022
A magical refashioning of the Arthurian legend, this middle grade coming of age story set amongst an unpredictable family of witches is a must for Halloween book selections this year. Narrator, Clemmie is the type of girl to which every reader can relate. She is worried about upcoming exams at school; is desperate to be liked by her slightly older, cool cousin Mirabelle; and clearly loves her family but maybe wishes they could be a bit more normal!
Clemmie shares a crowded, run down house on Pendragon Road with her mum, Patty, Aunts Prudie, Connie and Flissie and cousin Mirabelle and for eleven months of the year life is relatively normal. However, every October the older family members receive their magic and the household goes crazy for a month…and in this, her twelfth October, Clemmie expects to receive her magic and fully become a member of the coven! She joins the rest of the Merlyn family on their night time expedition to the allotted location for magic gathering and gets her first glimpse of their bitter rivals, the Morgan coven, sensing the enmity that exists between the two branches of the witchy world and little knowing the adventure that she will be pulled into.
I won’t describe the plot in any detail for fear of giving away spoilers. Suffice to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative which was pacy, perfectly pitched for readers of 9+ with gripping twists and turns, betrayals, unlikely alliances, peril, a magnificent villain in Aunt Morgan and some arch humour. Author Jennifer Claessen has wonderfully captured the voice of a twelve year old girl for whom bodily changes are causing uncertainty and nervousness and a growing awareness of family secrets causes confusion. Clemmie is a thoroughly engaging character and I rooted for her to gain control of her powers throughout. The relatable family dynamics are brilliantly entwined in a clever take on Arthurian legend, with the thirst for eternal power leading to a dramatic and vivid magical battle.
Although on the surface this is a story about witchy family feuds I felt that there was a deeper truth contained within the narrative; that of the younger generation breaking free of the chaos and mess created by their ancestors and forging a new truth and way of living. If you want a story that demonstrates the power of family loyalty, questions what we mean by magic and is thoroughly entertaining too, then add The October Witches to your Halloween wish list.
I am most grateful to Antonia Wilkinson and Uclan Publishing for sending me a proof copy of The October Witches prior to publication on 1st September 2022.
Cover illustration by Carina Roberts, published by Sergar Creative
A football story with a difference, this almost poetic account of determination and resilience echoes with the sound of past glories, and sets a path for future success. The artwork by Carina Roberts add greatly to the slightly other-worldly atmosphere of the book.
Robbie Blair is an enormously talented young footballer with the ability to beat defenders and defensive midfielders at will, with his tricks and flicks, swerves and dips of the shoulder. The one thing he can’t seem to beat is his own body, and after his femur is broken for the third time, the doctors have told him that at the age of eleven, his footballing career is over. After long weeks in traction and recuperation at home, Robbie is at last able to return to school, although sport is now off the timetable for him. However, a class trip to an old people’s home presents Robbie with the chance to chat to Fred and this old man’s pin-sharp reminiscences of the on-pitch heroics of a Celtic legend spark an otherworldly chain of events.
With a ghostly presence leading him through a training regime to build his strength, the discovery of an old abandoned football ground near his home in Clydebank and a young female footballer as a training partner, Robbie sets his sights on a full return to the pitch. I found this story really gripping, with a unique blend of fast-paced sporting action which reads like a match commentary and poetic passages which resonate with the echoes of Glasgow’s past, whether from the football pitch or the shipyards. I marvelled at Robbie’s resilience and courage in taking on a tough training regime in order to fulfil his dreams; although this book is football based, I think that young readers could apply this example to any endeavour in which they wish to excel. With the summer of fantastic football that we have all enjoyed, I believe that Jump! will appeal equally to girls and boys in upper KS2 and KS3.
As a reader who is well beyond the target range for this book, I was thoroughly invested in the story which brought back memories of my late dad and his often repeated tales of the Lisbon Lions. I think that author J G Nolan has perfectly captured the deeply rooted sense of community that used to be built around football clubs in the days when players were very much a part of that community. I am most grateful to LiterallyPR for my gifted copy of Jump! and the invitation to join the online blog tour. Do check out all the other reviews from a selection of wonderful bloggers.
An environmental thriller for a teen audience with positive representation of children with additional support needs, this book needs to be in every school!
This new novel from Victoria Williamson, who has been rightly acclaimed for her previous middle grade books, is aimed at a teenage audience as it details the personal journey of fourteen year-old Max, who is struggling to come to terms with total hearing loss. From the opening pages which plunge the reader into the icy North Sea alongside Max during a terrible accident on his Dad’s trawler, you are drawn into his world of alienation; feeling great empathy with his character as you begin to realise the frustration and anger behind some of his challenging behaviours.
On a remote Scottish island where Max was once one of the cool gang, proud of his physical prowess and joining in with his mates when they teased the “specials” or “zoomers” as they unkindly label the children with additional learning needs, he is now one of those children. And he is not happy about it. I think that what Victoria Williamson does so well, is that she makes the reader inhabit a character who is scared, angry, frustrated and flawed. She paints Max as an absolutely believable teenager, he is not rendered as a saintly hero just because he is now deaf, but has carried his former prejudices with him into his new reality. Feeling that his parents have replaced him with perfect baby sister Sally, not understanding why his Dad can’t be bothered to communicate in writing and irritated that his mum is always too tired to sign accurately, Max lashes out at those who are trying to help him. The narrative delicately unfolds his growing relationships with three children who have been “othered” their entire lives: David who is a wheelchair user, Beanie who has Down’s Syndrome and Erin who was born deaf. His gradual acceptance into this community is not without its ups and downs, but as their isolation provides them with the singular opportunity to save their island community, their strengths come to the fore.
You see, this is not just “an issues” novel, it is in fact a fast-paced, technological thriller with a despicable scientific-military experiment at its core. The islanders have voted to allow three huge wind turbines to be installed just off the coast; disregarding the ugly new impostors on the rugged coastline and their resultant noise pollution in favour of the promise of long awaited wifi. As the blades start turning, the local wildlife bears the first impact but then Max begins to notice inexplicable and sinister changes in the behaviour of the majority of the island’s inhabitants. As Max, Erin, Beanie and David work together to disrupt the plans of ruthless scientist Doctor Ashwood, I found myself turning the pages quicker than a turbine blade on the stormiest Highland night!
I highly recommend this novel for all secondary school librarians, both for it’s entertainment value as a gripping thriller and for the empathy-inducing portrayal of children who are often overlooked or dismissed. In the author’s notes at the end, it is stated that the novel was reviewed by the British Deaf Association to ensure that it presented a sensitive portrayal of deaf characters. As an adult reader, I was hugely impressed with the narrative and will take away new learning for my inclusivity work as a health librarian. Additionally, I can’t help seeing parallels between a white haired villain who manipulates a population to allow a change which is calculated to set neighbour against neighbour, and I imagine that this could lead to some interesting PHSE conversations.
War of the Wind will be published on September 23rd 2022, which happens to be International Day of Sign Language; 20% of author royalties are going to be donated to the British Deaf Association so pre-order your copy today. I am most grateful to Neem Tree Press for my gifted copy in return for my honest opinion.
Cover image by Katie Saunders, published by Little Tiger Press, August 2022
Bea Black is back and she is no longer feeling like the “new girl” as the new academic year begins at Little Spellshire’s School of Extraordinary Arts! She has managed to integrate her magical friends with non-magical best friend and next-door-neighbour Ash and is still managing to conceal the truly extraordinary arts that she is learning at school from her Dad!
In this, her third adventure, Bea only occasionally betrays her lack of knowledge of the witchy world. For example, she is the only pupil who doesn’t know that the new Geography mistress, Dr Pellicano is famous for flying around the world on a broomstick! However, she becomes just as excited as her classmates about the prospect of the upcoming school trip. When the destination is revealed as Cadabra Castle, she is less worried about the rumour of it being haunted than she is by the prospect of her Dad finishing his book Understanding Little Spellshire’s Most Peculiar Microclimate whilst she is away, and the sudden knowledge that this might initiate a move away from the magical town where she feels so at home.
With Ash prepped to take over author-distraction duties, Bea sets off with her classmates for a week of fun and magical adventure, whilst Headteacher Ms Sparks and “upside down exclamation mark” Dr Pellicano hope that Cadabra Castle’s history as the home of witchy cooperation will have a unifying effect on disorderly Year Seven! Will the prospect of staying in a hexagonal castle room with a four poster bed outweigh the prospect of encountering the ghost of High Master Maggitty Crawe? Will Year Seven ever learn to bond? Will Bea and arch-rival Blair survive a night-time challenge together? Get your hands on a copy of Ghostly Getaway and prepare to be thrilled!
I know that the Diary of an Accidental Witch series is hugely popular in schools and it is not hard to see why. Firstly, they are outstandingly enjoyable to read with beautifully observed storylines which any Key Stage 2 child can relate to, filled with everyday dilemmas and laugh out loud humour. On top of this you have the Witch School setting with just enough peril and tension to keep you turning the pages, but no darkness or deep scares to frighten children who have a nervous disposition. The distinctive black and white illustrations by Katie Saunders add to the charm of the story and alongside the diary format, break up the text into manageable chunks which makes reading an enjoyable experience for children who are emerging as independent readers. Little Tiger Press have gone a step further by using a clear font and extra line spacing which is very helpful for dyslexic readers. The playful text effects also help young readers decide which words to emphasise when reading aloud. In my opinion, Perdita and Honor Cargill have once again written a hugely enjoyable story, filled with heart and a lovely underlying message of discussing your worries, which I would recommend to all readers of 7 and above.
I am most grateful to Little Tiger Press for my gifted copy of Diary of an Accidental Witch-Ghostly Getaway in return for my honest opinion.
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