Peril in Paris by Katherine Woodfine

peril in paris

As the glorious series of Sinclair’s Mysteries by Katherine Woodfine drew to a close we learned that Mr Sinclair the owner of the eponymous department store had performed services for both the American and British spy agencies. Therefore it is no surprise that Sophie Taylor and Lillian Rose, the joint owners of Taylor & Rose Detective Agency, which operates from offices on the first floor of the opulent Piccadilly department store, now count the newly established Secret Service Bureau amongst their clients.

This story bursts onto the page with Sophie tailing a suspicious “Grey Man” through Victoria Station to whisk away his notebook of secret codes, whilst Lil is away in Europe on an undercover mission. Before long, Sophie too has to head to Europe, travelling to Paris, posing as rich, aristocratic, Miss Celia Blaxland. She doesn’t have Lil’s acting background, and is reassured to have her colleague Tilly, a technical genius, accompanying her disguised as a ladies’ maid. Her mission is to investigate the murder of Professor Blaxland, her alter-ego’s uncle, who was an expert on languages at The Sorbonne, and had been working for the secret service.

Meanwhile, in the small, fictional, strategically-placed country of Arnovia, the young Prince Alex and Princess Anna are in the care of a rather unconventional governess. Sharp-witted fans of Katherine Woodfine’s earlier books may begin to suspect the identity of this governess long before the princess decides to do a little investigating!

The plot moves along at a cracking pace and is full of the period detail and rich characterisation that I have come to expect in a Katherine Woodfine story. Alongside the drama there are interesting reflections on the expectations for females in the early part of the twentieth century. Princess Anna is constantly frustrated that her education is so limited while her brother is being sent away for an academic education in preparation for his future role. Simultaneously, Sophie, Lil and Tilly are all determined to prove that they are equal to whatever task they are given, in defiance of the sneering attitude of some of their colleagues. The dramatic conclusion of the adventure will leave you eager to fly into the second book in this series, Spies in St Petersburg which I have reviewed here.

A highly recommended adventure for anyone of 9 and above.

Review: Akimbo and the Crocodile Man by Alexander McCall Smith

Akimbo Crocodile

This is a charming short story, ideal for reluctant readers as it packs an exciting adventure as well as a host of interesting facts about crocodiles into its 86 pages.

Akimbo is the son of the Chief Ranger in an un-named African country. He is fascinated when one of his father’s friends comes to stay and cannot tear his eyes away from the jagged scar which runs down John’s arm. John is a zoologist and in particular, a crocodile expert. He is carrying out research into the survival of mother and baby crocodiles on the nature reserve and invites Akimbo to join his research team. The expedition develops into an exciting adventure, during which Akimbo will need to demonstrate great initiative and bravery.

I love the skill of the author, Alexander McCall Smith, in conjuring the child-like sense of wonder at the natural world that Akimbo articulates in his questions to John “The Crocodile Man”. Children and adults who read this book will gain a fascinating insight into these amazing reptiles in an accessible and entertaining adventure. Perfect for newly confident readers in Year 2 and reluctant readers in Key Stage 2.

Review: Girl 38 Finding a Friend by Ewa Jozefkowicz

girl 38

This gem of a book interweaves three stories to create a rich portrait of friendship. Firstly we have Katherine’s story, that of a 12 year-old girl recognising that her lifelong friendship with Gem is toxic. In turn she is writing her own graphic story of the fearless, futuristic Girl 38, her domineering First Mate Hawkeye and their battles with their perceived enemy “The Vilk”. Thirdly, Katherine’s elderly neighbour Ania is recounting her war-time memories of Mila the friend from whom she was separated by the German soldiers who invaded her Polish village during WWII.

Katherine is an only child, the 12-year-old daughter of two doctors who work long hours. She spends her solitary hours writing and drawing her graphic novel, Girl 38. From the very earliest pages we realise that her friendship with Gem, which has endured since they were at nursery school together, is a totally one-sided affair. Gem speaks to her in a dismissive and hurtful way and we learn that Katherine dreads the sight of “the red spot” appearing on Gem’s cheek, signalling that she is angry about some perceived threat to her position.

When a new boy named Julius arrives in their form at the start of Year 8, Gem takes offence at his intelligence which threatens her position as top of the class, and his swimming skill which outshines her previous dominance in the pool. She sets up some very unpleasant tricks and, like all bullies, uses someone else to do her dirty work – in this case Kat, who she seems to manipulate with ease.

As Kat starts to feel overwhelmed by guilt at her behaviour whilst simultaneously feeling powerless to stand up to Gem, she unexpectedly begins to talk to her elderly next-door-neighbour. Ania Jankowski is a kind, gentle, elderly artist and slowly recounts the extraordinary tale of her childhood in wartime Poland. Can an example of historical courage and kindness have an impact on Katherine’s dilemma in modern Britain? You will have to read this intriguing book to find out!

Ewa Jozefkowicz has penned a wonderful tale, inspired by her own grandmother’s story which illustrates the lessons that we can all learn from history and examines friendship and courage on many levels. This would be an excellent addition to the WWII fiction collection in upper Key Stage 2; in my school I imagine it will have great appeal to the children of Polish descent as well as to their classmates who can gain an insight into the experience of war elsewhere in Europe.  I loved the message contained within this story, that it is important “to search for kindness, for a little beam of light in the darkness”. A highly recommended book for children of 10 and above.

Review: Kat Wolfe Takes the Case by Lauren St John

There are so many things to love about this book that I hardly know where to begin! It is an outstanding piece of storytelling which I unhesitatingly recommend to all readers of 8+.

It is the second in the series featuring the “Wolfe and Lamb Detective Agency” comprising Kat Wolfe, who has extraordinary gifts with animals of every kind and her best friend Harper Lamb, a genius with languages and computers, with an impressive knowledge of dinosaurs thanks to her palaeontologist father. On one level it is a pacy, MG mystery with the young detectives, Kat and Harper, trying to discover who was responsible for the death of an amateur fossil-collector at the foot of the cliffs in picturesque Bluebell Bay. However, the author, Lauren St John, has seamlessly woven other important themes through this story; extinction, environmental concerns, unscrupulous profiteers and the importance of not judging people based on appearances. I was swept along by the gripping narrative, clever characterisation and along the way learned a great deal about conservation and palaeontology.

If you like complex plots with multiple riddles to solve, this book will not disappoint! At one stage the two young detectives calculate that they have eleven mini-mysteries to solve, ranging from the reason that a glamourous Hollywood couple have decided to vacation on the Jurassic Coast to the identity of the ruthless members of the Order of Dragons. At one point in the story we are given a fabulous lesson on  the interdependence of species in the food web, reflecting this, the detective agency relies on teamwork between humans and animals to unravel the tangled web of clues and crack the case. One of my favourite characters is Edith Chalmers the retired librarian whose encyclopedic knowledge has taught her “a thing or two about unravelling mysteries”!

I was constantly in awe at the way Lauren St John’s love of animals and nature shone through her writing, from similes such as a car “glistening like a forest in winter” to Kat’s changing attitude to the film star couple when she realises that they have crocodile-hide and leopard-skin accessories. I was not a surprise to find the author’s note at the end of the book, encouraging children to do whatever they can to protect the environment. Above all, I think that this confirms “Kat Wolfe Takes the Case” as a hopeful book, which recognises that our smart, wonderful children have the ability to change the world for the better. Finally I must mention the glorious cover art and black and white illustrations throughout the book by Daniel Deamo which contribute to the overall enjoyment of this reading adventure. I love books which entertain and educate simultaneously and I think that this one will be hugely popular with children of 8+ and any adults lucky enough to read with them.

Thank you Toppsta and Macmillan Children’s Books for sending me this book to review – I will be adding it to the school library tomorrow and recommending it highly.

Review: Spies in St Petersburg by Katherine Woofine

spies st petersburg

This is the second book in the Taylor and Rose Secret Agents series and continues pretty much from where Book 1, Peril in Paris ended. Even if you hadn’t already enjoyed the Sinclair’s Mysteries by the same author, I imagine that the glorious cover art by Karl James Mountford would encourage you to select this book (there are lovely black and white illustrations throughout the book too)!

The action throughout the majority of the story is split between Sophie who is posing as Alice Grayson, living undercover in St Petersburg and continuing to track Count Rudolf Von Wilderstein and his mysterious notebook, and Lil who is determined to track down her best friend after overhearing that she has gone incommunicado.

There is so much to love in this thrilling and pacy MG spy novel. As always the two heroines, Sophie and Lil, have to use all their ingenuity and bravery to outwit any foe who stands in their way. Sophie takes on employment at a bespoke jewellery maker situated on the grandest street in St Petersburg to pursue her target and encounters a fanatical, revolver-wielding, student revolutionary leader who has uncovered some of her secrets. Lil needs to overcome the objections of her dutiful fellow agent in order to divert from their planned mission in Germany and search for Sophie in Russia. The story gallops along with fascinating evocations of the grandeur of pre-revolutionary St Petersburg with its opulent streets and birthday-cake palaces, the Circus of Marvels, the intrigues taking place in London at the Secret Service Bureau and lurking in the shadows, the sinister Fraternitas Draconum and their ongoing machinations to cause chaos in Europe.

This story crackles with interesting historical insights into the bubbling unrest in Europe of 1911 as well as the changing role of females at that time. The two main protagonists prove that they are far from the helpless young ladies that some other members of the spy service mistakenly believe them to be and the Circus of Marvels provides impressive female characters. Katherine Woodfine has once again penned an entertaining novel, with charm and adventure in abundance; a thoroughly enjoyable story for anyone of 9+.

My thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an electronic version of this book to review, I shall certainly want to buy a paperback copy for the school library as soon as possible.

Review: The Boy Who Flew by Fleur Hitchcock

 

Boy who flewThis darkly plotted mystery has as many twists and turns as the Georgian alleys of Bath and presents a grimy, squalid view of a city that many of us only see in its tourist-attracting glory. I was prompted to read it as part of the wonderful #PrimarySchoolBookClub and it left me with a very different impression of one of my favourite cities.

The story is set in Georgian times, when The Royal Crescent had been newly constructed, and upper class residents and visitors (the children in the book refer to them as “The Quality”) spent their leisure at The Pump Rooms and Ballrooms of Bath. Athan lives with his mother and two sisters above their tailoring/dressmaking shop, spending his days working on engineering designs with his elderly neighbour Mr Chen and his nights scaling the rooftops of the city with his best friend Tod. His routines are horribly interrupted by the gruesome murder of Mr Chen. It becomes apparent at the auction of Mr Chen’s property that someone is trying to get their hands on Mr Chen’s designs for a flying machine and claim the huge bounty at stake for the first manned flight!

This book has a fine cast of villains, ranging from Athan’s own grandmother, who continually refers to his crippled younger sister Beatty as “cursed” and “a changeling” to the ruthless, cruel and unflinching Colonel Blade, who dresses like a gentleman but whose behaviour is as far from gentlemanly as possible. I love this description of him from Athan when he encounters him at a card game in the Pump Rooms:

“He’s talking like a diamond but I know he’s a piece of coal.”

Fleur Hitchcock has penned a suspense-laden mystery with some uncompromising descriptions of the sooty, foul, underside of life in a Georgian city. The friendship between Athan and Tod is wonderfully realised, as is Athan’s devotion to his family, particularly his sisters Polly and Beatty. The last eighty or so pages held me breathless as Athan scrambled to uncover the evil deeds of Colonel Blade. There are a few moments of vivid description which I think make this book most suitable for children in Year 6 and above as they might be  upsetting for younger readers.

 

Review: Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard

beetle boy 2

“Dr Bartholomew Cuttle wasn’t the kind of man who disappeared.”

From its opening line this book reels you in to the mysterious and seemingly impossible disappearance  from a locked vault, of the Director of Science at the Natural History Museum.

Darkus knows that his Dad would not abandon him, and together with his Uncle Max, and an unusually friendly rhinoceros beetle named Baxter, sets out to uncover the whereabouts of his father. It becomes clear, when they go to inspect the vault, that uncle Max knows more about his brother, and the sponsor of The Cutter Coleoptera Collection than he has divulged to Darkus. What was the Fabre Project that Barty had worked on 15 years earlier? Why is Max startled and concerned that Baxter responds to Darkus as if he understands him? Is there significance in the oversized, green, woolly jumper that Darkus chooses to wear.

The author gifts her readers the most wonderful characterisation, from Uncle Max’s habit of wearing his pith helmet whenever he goes out to imperious, ghastly Lucretia Cutter, a genetically-modified version of Cruella de Vil! Her first appearance in the narrative is fabulous:

“Jet-black hair, gold lips and the her body came lurching into view, leaning on the sticks. She wore a white laboratory coat over a long, black dress, and every jarring movement of her body screamed out how angry she was.”

However, this is trumped later on by the description of Lucretia’s breakfast habits, which will delight children and will live long in my memory! The cast of villains include the hilariously warring cousins, Pickford and Humphrey, whose collective greed and idiocy provide great comic entertainment. Dankish and Craven, Lucretia’s henchmen are deliciously repugnant. Meanwhile, lonely Darkus who has abandoned friendships since the death of his mother five years previously learns the value of friendship and teamwork from small, brainy, inventive Bertolt and tall, fierce Virginia and an army of beetles.

In addition to its entertainment value this book is a treasure trove of natural science, particularly concerning insects, likely to set inquisitive youngsters on a quest to look up the scientific vocabulary, as a start to which there is a helpful glossary at back. One of my favourite quotes refers to Darkus learning the meaning of Coleoptera, but in fact epitomises the joy of discovery when reading all great books:

“The new word felt like a discovered secret, and Darkus was keen to use it as soon as possible.”

I should also mention that the book is enhanced by the black and white illustrations throughout by Julia Sarda, as well as her cover art…and if you are lucky, beetle designs on the page edges! beetle boy 1

I hope that this joyous adventure inspires a whole new generation of ecologists and entomologists to scuttle to the library to investigate the amazing insect kingdom. Highly recommended for boys and girls of 7+.

If you enjoy this book, look out for the next two books in the series: Beetle Queen and The Battle of the Beetles.

The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

apprentice witch

This is the first book in a charming magical fantasy series featuring Arianwynn Gribble who has spent her entire life wishing to follow her mother and grandmother, and become a witch. However, on the day of her evaluation ceremony she feels a growing sense of unease, matched by the wet, gloomy weather, and instead of the silver star of a fully-fledged witch she leaves the ceremony with the dull bronze badge of an apprentice. Thanks to the intervention of her grandmother, who happens to be a member of the Council of Elders, Arianwyn is sent to complete her apprenticeship in the small town of Lull.

The author, James Nicol, has created a very believable character who is constantly trying her best, but battling with self-doubt and occasionally creating some sticky situations – in particular when dealing with snotlings! The magical world in which Arianwyn exists is populated with a fascinating range of magical creatures and spirits, with witches helping the humans to fend off dark magic using glyphs to create their spells and charms. Arianwyn also has to deal with familiar situations such as a mean former classmate and a pompous, self-important mayor, which require quiet common sense rather than magical solutions. She is such a sympathetic character that you are drawn into her story and hoping that her determination and courage will prevail and enable her to discover her inner “true light”.

In this book you will discover a menagerie of magical and spirit creatures, including crawlers, snortings, staggets, a moon hare, a night ghast and perhaps most significantly Estar, an injured feyling who is helped by Arianwyn.

Central to the story is the mystery of an unknown glyph and the fate of Euphemia, the previous witch who inhabited the spellorium in Lull. She disappeared 40 years previously, and Arianwyn discovers that this may be linked to the dark glyph, which she sees prior to every terrible event in her life, starting with her mother’s death.

I would recommend this book for children in Year 3/4, who are looking for a substantial, enjoyable read, maybe moving on from The Worst Witch series. It is beautifully written, exciting but not too dark so highly suitable for children who might find other magical fantasy series too scary.

If you enjoy this, then look out for the next book in the series: A Witch Alone

Review: Bee Boy Clash of the Killer Queens by Tony de Saulles

bee boy1

This is an exciting and accessible fact-based  story for primary school children which highlights the importance of bees in our ecosystem. The author, Tony De Saulles, has identified the key facts about bees and found a hugely engaging way to present this information to a young audience. It should probably be no surprise that the illustrator of the “Horrible Science” series should have produced such a gorgeous book; it is fully illustrated throughout with his trademark drawings, all done in black and yellow!

The eponymous Bee Boy is Melvin Meadly who lives with his mum in a flat in a tower block. He has been introduced to bee-keeping by a former neighbour, and now takes care of the rooftop beehive, with the help of another neighbour, Mr Johnson. Unfortunately, not all the residents of Meadow Tower are so understanding and they blame Melvin’s bees for all kinds of ridiculous things. Additionally, Melvin has to contend with the school bully who tries his best to wreck the hive, and a rather unpleasant teacher, Mrs Whelks who is massively unsympathetic towards his passion for bees. Somehow Bee Boy must overcome these difficulties and save his colony.

Wrapped up in this humourous and slightly magical tale is a vast amount of information about bees and their essential contribution to the survival of life on our planet; Melvin battles to save his hive, knowing that in turn the bees are helping all life to survive. The many dangers that these incredible insects face are presented in uncompromising detail and I think that children will be fascinated both  by the information and the interestingly magical way that Melvin learns so much about his bees. The book reminded me of The Magic School Bus series that my own children devoured years ago and I highly recommend it as a great way of introducing children to a fascinating part of the natural world. I think this book could be shared with any child of 6 years and above and the enticing graphic style would make it a pleasurable read for early KS2 children.

I am extremely grateful to OUP Children’s Books for sending me a copy of Bee Boy to review, and I greatly look forward to Book 2 in the series: Bee Boy Attack of the Zombees.

If you enjoyed this insight into the insect world, why not try Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard, you can read a review here.

Review: The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell

Train Impossible Places

Jump aboard the Impossible Postal Service’s rather unusual train for a rip-roaring journey around the five corners of the Union of Impossible Places on a quest to save the Union from a would-be dictator!

The story begins dramatically when Suzy is awoken by strange metallic sounds, creeps downstairs to find railway lines under construction in her hallway and almost becomes “ the worst  type of incident it’s possible to be” on the aforementioned lines!

Her adventure with Fletch the engineer, J.F. Stonker the driver of the Impossible Postal Express, Wilmot the Postmaster and Ursel the bleached-blonde, brown bear, departs from here. Realising that somehow Suzy has avoided the remote enchantment that was supposed to keep her asleep while the steam train took a shortcut through her home, the trolls have no choice but to allow her to join their late-running train!

Suzy, we are informed very early in the book, loves physics, so the meta-dimensional engineering that Fletch has performed on her hallway to accommodate a huge steam locomotive is fascinating to her, although she does not appreciate his description of “fuzzics” – in her mind physics cannot be fuzzy. She has more surprises in store when she learns that gravity is one of “the more gullible forces” and can be tricked by ingenious troll-engineering to allow the Impossible Postal Express to perform some amazing manoeuvres on its mission to deliver post to any corner of the Union!

It is apparent that Wilmot is extremely nervous about the fact that his first delivery is running late, unfortunately the recipient is the unforgiving Lady Crepuscula in the ominously-named Obsidian Tower. When Wilmot appoints Suzy to be his deputy in order to avoid delivering the parcel himself, and she does not follow his orders to the letter, a frantic chase across the Union ensues. Suzy has learned of a plot that imperils all of The Impossible Places; can the combination of her problem-solving skills and the unstoppable Troll Post outwit the dastardly scheme?

I’m trying hard not to give away the plot, but this action-packed story will introduce you to the wonders of Trollville, Neuroglobes, fusion bananas, the incredible Hazardous Environment Carriage, some ghostly, storytelling explorers, and an unusual spy service controlled by the Curator of the Ivory Tower, Lord Meridian.

The world-building in this book is stunning, the cast of characters are absolutely fantastic and the plot is so brilliantly constructed that it could be the work of the fabulously inventive trolls. Underneath the thrilling machinations of the story there is an array of interesting scientific ideas and a reflection on the control and abuse of information. I adored the central character, Suzy Smith, with her courage, enquiring mind and love of physics and think that P.G. Bell has written a classic fantasy adventure, which is beautifully illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino. I simply cannot wait for the next book in the series to be published.

If you  enjoy The Train to Impossible Places as Much as I did, you may also want to try Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce; The Cogheart Series by Peter Bunzl and The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet by Martin Howard.