Review: Space Blasters – Suzie Saves the Universe by Katie and Kevin Tsang, illustrated by Amy Nguyen

Cover image by Amy Nguyen, published by Farshore, 4th August 2022

With a cover as shiny and enticing as the latest high-tech gadget to emerge from Silicone Valley, this first book in a new series by husband and wife writing duo Katie and Kevin Tsang is simply irresistible!

Suzie Wen loves gadgets and when not watching her favourite TV show, Space Blasters in which the Universe is saved on a weekly basis, she can often be found tinkering with her latest creation. Unfortunately her inventions have a tendency to cause chaos. Two weeks after the great Automatic Dumpling Maker explosion, and despite being banned from inventing, Suzie decides that creating her own 3-D Space Blasters experience will liven-up the school holidays. Little does she realise just how hair-raising her adventures will be once she plugs in her Super 3DTV Gizmo…

I won’t give away any more of the plot but instead will outline the aspects that I particularly enjoyed about Space Blasters. The authors know their readership so well and have created another series which draws young readers in and presents them with entertainment and enjoyment from cover to cover. The appealing illustrations by Vietnamese animator and illustrator Amy Nguyen add to the enjoyment of the reading process, allowing opportunities for young readers to pause and explore the characters in graphic form. Publisher Farshore has made a fantastic contribution by printing the book in a lovely clear font with extra line spacing, which is so important for children who are dyslexic or have visual impairment as well as making the reading process more relaxing for children who are emerging as independent readers. I loved the hybrid blend of fiction and non-fiction, with fun-fact boxes inserted at key points in the story. This worked extremely well in a narrative based on STEM themes. There is a nice range of representation in the main human characters blended with an imaginative range of cute, funny and off-beat alien creations.

As someone with a scientific background myself, I loved the inclusion of the scientific method as an explicit plot point and I think that many Key Stage 2 teachers will appreciate the clarity with which this concept is explained in the story as it fits so perfectly with the primary science curriculum. The seamless blending of humour, science, intuition, loneliness and friendship make this an essential book to add to reading collections for all children of 7+; purchase your copy now.

“For the Universe!”

I am most grateful to Antonia Wilkinson PR and Farshore for sending me a review copy of Space Blasters – Suzie Saves the Universe in exchange for my honest opinion.

#PublicationDayReview: PAWS by Kate Foster

Cover illustration by Ayesha L. Rubio, published by Walker Books

A search for friendship, an amazing bond between a boy and his pet cockapoo and the power of kindness are key themes of this huge-hearted story written for children of 8-12. I’m sure that PAWS will be massively popular with pet-owning children and those who long for a pet of their own, the two main canine characters, Kevin and Vinnie, have personalities that bound off the page and the short chapters in this book of just under 250 pages make it an ideal story for newly independent readers! On top of that, I would thoroughly recommend PAWS to all adults likely to come into contact with children who are autistic, for its insightful portrayal of the impact that everyday occurrences can have on the emotional wellbeing of autistic children.

The story is told in the voice of eleven-year-old Alex as he counts down the five days until PAWS, the best Dog Show on Australian TV is due to visit his town, Jessops Lake. Alex is desperate to make a friend before he leaves primary school and his strategies for achieving this goal are to win a trophy in the Obedience or Tricks categories at the dog show; to help Jared’s relay team qualify for the district competition; or to complete the Level 5 challenge, Tunnels of Disaster and Doom, on the OrbsWorld video game. He thinks that any one of these achievements will guarantee friendship with cool kid Jared and thus protect him from bullying when he gets to secondary school.

As the narrative unfolds, readers experience the daily challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals and the small acts of kindness that can make life so much more bearable. At the core of the story the utterly trusting bond between a boy and his dog reaches directly for your heart and a dog-directed new friendship will leave you with a smile on your face long after you read the final page. As added interest, this story is set in an Australian school and I think that children will enjoy discovering the differences and similarities between schools on either side of the world.

I thoroughly recommend this story to parents and carers, schools and librarians for all readers of 8+.

I am most grateful to author Kate Foster for arranging my gifted copy of PAWS from Walker Books, in exchange for my honest opinion.

#MG Review: Ghostlight by Kenneth Oppel

ARC cover image, publisher Guppy Books, due October 2022

This book has everything that an advanced middle grade reader could wish for; action, friendship, innocent first love (boy meets ghost), mystery solving, sense of place and a spine tingling ghost story! From the opening sentence:

Rebecca Strand was sixteen the first time she saw her father kill a ghost
page 1

I was utterly gripped. I had not previously read anything by the prize-winning Canadian author, Kenneth Oppel, but have now downloaded some of his earlier titles to my Kindle. If you are looking for a fresh take on a ghost story, are aged 10-14 and you have previously enjoyed Frost Hollow Hall and Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll, then make this your next choice after it is published on 13th October 2022!

Fifteen year old Gabe is working a summer holiday job, recounting the historical story of the mysterious deaths of Rebecca Strand and her father, as part of the ghost tour he gives daily at the abandoned Gibraltar Point Lighthouse which used to guard the entrance to Toronto’s harbour. On the day that one of the tourists in his audience turns out to be a descendant of Rebecca Strand, Gabe discovers that ghosts really do walk the earth and is drawn into a historical, detective mystery alongside best friend Yuri, teenage descendant of the lighthouse keepers and ghost blogger Callie, and the spectral form of Rebecca Strand. Together they must solve the riddle of the missing “ghostlight”, get their hands on this powerful amber disc, and fulfil the mission of the ancient Order of Keepers to destroy the hideously evil Viker, a villainous ghost hungry for power over the living and the dead.

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of this novel. The teenage characters really do come to life on the pages as genuine individuals. Gabe is a sensitive, caring boy who is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his father – first to another woman and then suddenly, to a fatal car accident. As his relationship with the ghostly form of Rebecca Smart develops we see him opening up his padlocked emotions and eventually learning the power of forgiveness. Yuri is similarly expertly rendered, the son of Russian immigrants, his mother is a journalist who has had to flee Russia and his father is an engineer struggling to gain the paperwork that will allow him to stay and work in Canada. We see the strain that this uncertainty places on Yuri, even as he utilises his inherent engineering ability to create the weaponry to fend off a ghost army. Aspiring journalist Callie was my favourite character from the moment she uttered the line:

Student librarian, four years running…I know my way around a database.
page 68

as she expertly explains to Gabe, Yuri and Rebecca how she tracked down ancient court transcripts in her hunt for the location of the missing “ghostlight”. There are several key moments of library-related action which highlight the importance of repositories of knowledge and made this librarian’s heart sing!

Finally, the ghostly side of the story. Rebecca comes across as a normal, although somewhat old-fashioned girl; she has been dead for 200 years after all! She is able to communicate with Gabe by “clasping”, holding his hand to gain some of his living energy and to allow him to see her. This connection between them grows throughout the story into a totally innocent first love that genuinely tugs at the heart strings, it is perfectly pitched for a tween to early teen audience who primarily want a thrilling story with some emotional content but are not yet ready for adult themes. Rebecca’s character is not scary but Viker, who wishes to raise an army of the “wakeful and wicked dead” is quite terrifying and readers of a sensitive nature (like me) might want to read this book during daylight hours only!

I will not go into any more plot details for fear of spoiling anyone’s enjoyment of the narrative. I will just leave you with the recommendation that if you have any responsibility for choosing books to be read by Year 6 or Key Stage 3 pupils, put Ghostlight on your pre-order list for the autumn term.

I am most grateful to Liz Scott and Guppy Books for my review ARC in return for my honest opinion on Ghostlight.

#MGReview: Never Forget You by Jamila Gavin

Cover illustration by Ellie Lonsdale, published by Farshore, July 2022

A work of historical fiction, written on an epic scale covering the years leading up to World War II and an imagining of the war-time roles played by four school friends, this new novel by prize-winning author Jamila Gavin is inspired by the real-life resistance hero Noor Inayat Khan. It is a hefty 500 page novel which doesn’t gloss over the brutality of war and is suitable for mature readers at the top end of primary school as well as those in secondary education.

We first meet the fictionalised Princess Noor as she is dropped off by her father, a Sultan and Sufi holy man, to the relative safety of an English boarding school in 1937. However, even as she is placed under the wing of Gwen – who has grown up in India, the image of a buzzard circling her father’s limousine foreshadows the looming threat of war. Noor has an other-worldly personality with deeply held spiritual beliefs which are severely challenged as the atrocities of war become apparent. Gwen is very protective of her and particularly shields her from the mocking humour of flamboyant, aspiring actress Dorothy (Dodo). Noor’s gentle and empathetic personality brings outsider Vera into their friendship group, and this previously self-contained individual slowly reveals the story of her heartbreaking escape from the pogroms in Poland. The four girls are bonded by their isolation from family; Gwen’s parents serving the British Empire in India, her older brother in the RAF and her younger brother at boarding school; Dodo’s parents too busy gallivanting around Europe with other rich admirers of Hitler to bother with their daughter; Noor’s family dispersed overseas and Vera reliant on her aunt and uncle in Paris who reluctantly took her in when she became separated from her parents and younger brother on their journey across Europe.

With this broad scope of character backgrounds, Jamila Gavin paints the landscape of Europe as tensions seethe between Germany and the other major powers. Readers are given an insight into the way in which the Jewish people were scapegoated, targeted for abuse, stripped of their possessions and sent off to the concentration camps. The rise of tyranny is clearly shown in the way that a “strong” character can bend the wills of others to act in ways that defy humanity. The narrative is constructed in a variety of ways, with Gwen’s tale recounted in the first person; while Noor, Vera and Dodo’s stories are third person narratives. There are also verses of poems and extracts from children’s wartime diaries throughout, which all add to the immersive, multiple perspectives of the story. I think that this is the first time in a Middle Grade novel that I have encountered religious and spiritual beliefs examined as they are challenged by the realities faced by the characters and Noor’s journey from pacifism to active participant in war was deeply moving.

The four main characters leave school as war between Britain and Germany is declared and their plans to attend further study are put on hold as each of them applies their unique talents to the war effort. I liked the dual storylines of Gwen and Dodo’s roles in England contrasting with Vera and Noor’s activities with the resistance in Paris, in both cases the action is gripping, with constant danger punctuated by hungrily-grasped moments of pure joy. The author portrays the strong bonds of female friendship, even when tested by the most extreme forces at times when loyalties are questioned and personal judgements are put under scrutiny. She does not shy away from harsh realities and heartbreak; although the book is sensitively written, I think it is probably most suitable for children of 11 years and older. At the top end of primary school it would make an excellent whole class read as there are so many issues covered which could lead to enlightening class discussions.

I am most grateful to Farshore Books for sending me a review copy of Never Forget You in return for my honest opinion.

Books I’ve read from the Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge 2022 List

A selection of books from the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge 2022

One of my favourite activities when my children were young was to visit the public library during the summer holidays to take part in the annual summer reading challenge. I love the way that this initiative has grown over the intervening years and with my science head on, I was delighted to see the Gadgeteers theme for summer 2022. Noticing a number of books that I’ve previously read and reviewed on the list, I thought that I’d post a summary of my reviews in case they help anyone to make their first choices.

Picture Books: here is the official list

One More Try written by Naomi Jones and illustrated by James Jones. Cute shapes demonstrate the principles of perseverance, resilience and tessellation.

The Little Pirate Queen written by Sally Anne Garland. An inspiring tale of a little girl who has learnt to create something from the resources she has at hand, can be read on a literal or metaphorical level and I think therefore appropriate for any class within a primary school.

Early Reader Books: here is the official list

Marv and the Dino Attack by Alex Falase-Koya, illustrated by Paula Bowles. A superhero powered by kindness and imagination saves the day at the Natural History Museum.

Middle Grade Books: here is the official list

Beetles for Breakfast written by Madeleine Finlay and illustrated by Jisu Choi. A stylishly illustrated exploration of the application of biology to solve some of the problems our planet will face over the coming decades. An absolute feast for the brain!

Sabotage on the Solar Express written by MG Leonard and Samuel Sedgman, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. Futuristic fuel cells, scientific sabotage and a runaway train in the red heart of Australia all contribute to an edge-of-the-seat, runaway train detective adventure.

Harley Hitch and the Iron Forest written by Vashti Hardy, illustrated by George Ermos. A thoroughly engaging and entertaining mystery for readers aged 8+, with scientific exploration and discovery at its core. Illustrations throughout make this a great choice for children who are emerging readers.

Escape Room written by Christopher Edge and illustrated by David Dean. A fast-paced, immersive adventure with mathematics and artificial intelligence driving the plot.

I hope that you all enjoy these marvellous stories which introduce STEM principles, and find many more books at your local public library, to entertain and engage you in new ideas over the summer holiday.

MG Review: Remarkably Ruby by Terri Libenson

Cover image by Terri Libenson, published by Harper Collins Publishers

A middle grade graphic novel, set in an American middle school, which bursts with personality and colour. I am greatly indebted to Antonia Wilkinson PR for sending me a copy of this life-affirming graphic novel, written and illustrated by Terri Libenson a best-selling US cartoonist.

I love the fact that graphic novels are being welcomed into classrooms and recognised for the accessible nature of their content and I think that this particular book will be a huge hit with upper key stage 2 readers. Ruby is a rather awkward loner who is coming to terms with the loss of her grade school best friend and trying to find her place in middle school. She suffers from the nick-name “baked bean girl” coined by a cruel wit in her class after unfortunate incidents caused by her nervous stomach and has a pretty miserable solitary existence at school. Meanwhile, her former friend, Mia is a high-achiever who seems to be surrounded by new friends, including a boyfriend, takes a perfectionist’s approach to everything that she does and is running for class president.

The story details their respective story arcs as they navigate new friendships, finding their places in the middle school social structure. Ruby is rescued by an inspirational teacher’s recognition of her poetic talent and through the poetry club begins to find her voice and her tribe. Perfect Mia has to face some uncomfortable truths about her behaviour as her plans start to go awry. Alternate chapters focus on each of the girls, with the book designed in a striking way; Ruby’s chapters are presented as an illustrated story in a style that would be familiar to fans of Tom Gates whereas Mia’s chapters are presented in full graphic novel cartoon style. I was very struck by the contrast in styles highlighting the contrast between shy, quiet, wordsmith Ruby and self-confident Mia, who will not let anything or anyone stand in the way of her ambition.

The gradual realisation by the two main protagonists that despite their seemingly opposing characteristics, they actually share similar insecurities, leads them to an understanding that wraps up the story neatly. I recommend this book very highly to all readers of 9-13, it’s a hugely enjoyable read and has a strong underlying theme of finding your inner talent and recognising that everyone has their unique strengths.

I am most grateful to Antonia Wilkinson and Harper Collins for my review copy of Remarkably Ruby in exchange for my honest opinion.

#Blog Tour Review: Poppy Loves Devon by Gillian Young

Poppy Loves Devon is the second book in the Crazy Cream Adventures featuring the magnificently friendly golden retriever, Poppy and her “hooman” family. A deliciously sweet tale about friendship, perceived rejection and finding one’s strengths, with a heart as warm as a sunny day on a Devon beach. This book drips empathy which is cleverly anthropomorphised in the character of Poppy and the animals she encounters, opening up recognition of a range of emotions in middle grade readers. For children who love animals and who can sometimes relate to a non-threatening family pet more readily than to their peers, this story could provide valuable insights into behaviour such as sibling jealousy. Other children may not see the deeper subtext but simply thoroughly enjoy a summer holiday read filled with lovable animal characters (and some lovely “hoomans” too)!

Poppy, an adored and adorable retriever sets off for a week of bliss at a farm cottage in Devon with her family; Mum, Dad, Jack and Evie. She cannot wait to have unlimited time to play fetch, be spoiled with doggie ice-creams and explore the exciting new surroundings of the farmyard and neighbouring woods. Her boisterous enthusiasm bounds from the page and her encounters with the farmyard pigs will definitely raise a smile. However, she is stopped in her tracks by the sight of working sheepdog Samson who appears superior and sleek compared to her clumsiness and over-enthusiasm. As the story unfolds, these two canines both learn lessons from each other as their very different strengths bring each of them to realise that they are capable of stepping outside their normal boundaries.

Each of them fear rejection by their owners. Samson is helping to train a younger sheepdog who he feels might replace him on the farm and Poppy thinks that she will be replaced in her family’s affections by a retriever pup that she has discovered abandoned in the woods. As the idyllic week’s holiday draws to a close the reader is gently led through the emotional highs and lows as decisions have to be made. This book will make a lovely summer term or summer holiday read for fans of Michael Morpurgo or Dick King-Smith; it is a gentle story with just a small edge of jeopardy, suitable for children of 8+ who love animals and animal stories. There are beautiful pencil sketches of the animal and human characters decorating the chapter headings. The beach holiday setting will be familiar to many children, and whether you are heading away on holiday or not this summer, Poppy Loves Devon will give readers a relaxing break in the company of a perfect pet.

I am most grateful to the team at LiterallyPR for sending me a copy of the book to review and inviting me to participate in the blog tour. Do read the reviews posted by other book bloggers on the tour!

MG Review: The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers by Clare Povey

Cover illustration by Héloïse Mab, publisher Usborne, 7th July 2022

A fast-paced adventure, set in Paris during the 1920s, featuring a band of orphans and their allies, confronting a conspiracy to bring down the government and reinstall a ruling monarch! This timely tale based on the persuasive power of words, held me gripped as I consumed it on a train journey last week. The continuing battle between young story-teller Bastien Bonlivre and the despotic Odieux brothers, Xavier and Olivier, twists and turns like a Parisian alleyway as they grapple for the hearts and minds of the citizens of the City of Light. Although this is the second in the Bastien Bonlivre adventures it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel thanks to author Clare Povey including sufficient details from the backstory.

We start with orphan Bastien discovering that Olivier Odieux has walked free from court, leaving his younger brother Xavier to take the rap and be jailed for the murder of Bastien’s parents. It soon becomes apparent that Olivier has hatched a plan worthy of a megalomaniacal supervillain, aided by the descendants of an ancient secret organisation, the Red Ink Society. As the power-crazy fiend and his associates begin to sow chaos on the streets of Paris, Bastien and his friends from the Orphanage for Gentils Garçons along with accomplices, Mathilde and Alice, must track down the clues to uncover the dreadful secret that led to his parents’ deaths. The narrative moves at a cracking pace as the clock ticks down to the final denouement at the launch of the Exposition Universelle in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

I loved the fact that Clare Povey has wrapped some highly pertinent sociological ideas into this exciting story, revealing the ways that power-hungry individuals can seek to manipulate the masses with the use of propaganda. I feel sure that creative upper key stage 2 teachers will be using this entertaining story as a class read aloud and incorporating the questions it raises into PHSE and media literacy learning opportunities. The sprinkling of French vocabulary is defined in a glossary, adding another educational layer to this highly entertaining read. The large cast of characters means that many children will be able to identify with one of the protagonists, ensuring engagement throughout and I particularly loved that strong adult role models were included in a story about orphans. Overall, I highly recommend The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers to all readers of 9+ who enjoy immersing themselves in fast-paced adventure. It is available for pre-order from good booksellers and will be available on 7th July 2022.

I am most grateful to Liz Scott and Usborne for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Hetty and the Battle of the Books by Anna James, illustrated by Jez Tuya

Cover image by Jez Tuya, to be published by Barrington Stoke,
7th July 2022

This is a book to make every school librarian or library advocate’s heart soar! As regular readers of my blog will know, I have loved Barrington Stoke books since discovering their titles for one of my own children almost twenty years ago. I have greatly enjoyed the books that they have commissioned from many of the top writers for children in the intervening years and Hetty and the Battle of the Books has just jumped straight to the top of my favourites list.

It is a funny, thoughtful, powerful manifesto for the necessity of having a library and a trained librarian in every school, published in fully accessible format so that it can be read and enjoyed by the very individuals to whom a library often matters the most. Anna James has wonderfully captured the voice of a quirky Year 7 pupil, Hetty, who is going through the friendship issues which occur so commonly as children progress from primary to secondary school. Her place of sanctuary is the school library, which in this story is presided over by Ms Juster, a librarian who knows how to cater for the needs of every pupil who enters her domain. When Hetty learns that the dastardly headteacher, Mr McCarthy, plans to close the library and make Ms Juster redundant, she puts her outrage into action, recruits her former friends to the cause and designs her own campaign to save the library. In a book of approximately one hundred pages the narrative crackles with a sense of urgency and is heavily laced with Hetty’s wry sense of humour. I absolutely adored the greyscale illustrations throughout by Jez Tuya, I am not aware of seeing his artwork before but I shall certainly be on the lookout for further books that he illustrates.

I urge all school librarians and literacy coordinators to purchase a copy of Hetty and the Battle of the Books for your pupils to enjoy, I think it will appeal to all readers of 8-13. In my opinion, this quote from the penultimate chapter summarises all that is magical about school libraries:

You can do your homework there as well as visit a faraway kingdom. You can research the Tudors as well as meet a Greek god, all from a beanbag. You can watch a film, or make a newspaper, or play Dungeons and Dragons. Or you can just read a good book…Because a library is a place for everyone…
Chapter 9

I am most grateful to Barrington Stoke and NetGalley for allowing me access to an e-ARC prior to publication, and I will certainly be buying a paperback copy when it is published on 7th July 2022.

Non-fiction Review: The Invisible World of Germs by Isabel Thomas

Cover image by Geraldine Sy and Ana Seixas, published by OUP, May 2022

The latest in the Very Short Introductions series provides answers to many questions that children and adults might have after the past two years sitting through news briefings about viruses, vaccines and R numbers. Isabel Thomas is a first class science communicator, never talking down to her readership, but presenting scientific information and vocabulary with absolute clarity, leaving readers enlightened and satisfied. This book has been intelligently designed with photos; illustrated diagrams and cartoon strip inserts by Geraldine Sy and Ana Seixas; and shout-outs to introduce new vocabulary and concepts. Information is broken into bite-sized chunks with clever use of colour and layout, so that complex ideas can be understood. The overall package delivers a comprehensive education of the microbial world in under 100 small format pages.

It is split into eight chapters which provide a history of the scientific research that led to our present day understanding of microbes, the effect of different microbes on the human body, immunology, medicines and the positive uses of microbes in our world. I particularly liked the use of regular features throughout the book such as Germ Hero, which provided single sentence biographies of scientists who had made breakthrough discoveries; and Speak Like a Scientist where key scientific terms were explained. As you would expect from a great non-fiction book, there is a glossary at the end.

As a librarian working in the health sector, I am always delighted to find books which provide evidence-based information that is accessible and informative for a wide readership. An informed population is likely to be one that is better able to contribute to the management of their own health and less likely to fall for misinformation. The Invisible World of Germs … and its impact on our lives would be suitable for upper Key Stage 2 classrooms, as well as secondary school settings, and also provides useful information for adult readers; I highly recommend that you read it.

I am most grateful to OUP for sending me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.