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Junior Book Reviews

The Beanstalk Murder

P.G. Bell, pub. Usborne

Once upon a time there was a young boy named Jack. He climbed a beanstalk; he met a giant and all sorts of fairytale-esqe things happened. I am of course paraphrasing here because I am sure you, our readers, are quite familiar with the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. What you might not know however is that giants really did once roam the world quite freely and that, as a result there were plenty of beanstalks around. Where did they all go? Well, around a century ago there was The Great Beanstalk War. It all began because of gold. Giants have a lot of it but they have no magic, unlike the humans. The war ended in a stalemate. The humans still live on earth and the giants live in the Sky Kingdom. It isn’t in the sky, it’s just the Thin Places, the doorways into their world are up there so it looks that way.

 

There are in fact lots of doorways to lots of worlds, there are layers upon layers. As you will soon discover The Beanstalk Murder is not just a detective who-dunnit story but a magical mystery too. The reason we have no more beanstalks … The stalemate, both sides wanted to live in peace in their own lands, away from one another. But for absolute emergencies there are still a couple of very old beans around. This is an emergency: Anwen and her grandmother have just found a dead giant. Literally. He fell from one of the thin places you see. Only it wasn’t the fall that killed him. It looks as though somebody did that and then pushed him. This now means that Anwen and her arch-enemy, trainee sorceress Cerys are about to find themselves in the Sky Kingdom, with one ally and the news of the murder … a murder that it soon transpires was far more significant than they could have ever imagined.

 

With a wonderfully huge scoop of tongue-in-cheek, humour, remixed fairytale, magic and of course crime this story is deliciously funny, anarchic and one of the very best whodunnits you could choose to read this year! P.G. Bell really does have a way with words, making them into outstanding stories so make sure to take some time out to improve your detective skills with this cleverly woven story.

Louise Ellis-Barrett

The Boy to Beat the Gods

Ashley Thorpe, pub. Usborne

The Seven Orisha gods terrorise the many villages of the land striking fear into their people. When they decide to descend on a village wielding their darkly destructive powers, only the offering of the fruit of baobab tree and the sacrifice of some of their own community can save the entire village from annihilation.

 

Young Kayode was only five years old when his own father had offered himself as an Orisha sacrifice to save their village. Now the Elders fear the gods are close once again. But young Kayode is tired of living in fear and is consumed with the idea of eating one of the gods' forbidden baobab fruits to obtain the power of the gods themselves, wanting to turn the power against them and destroy them all. So, when his sister Temitope is taken Kayode will stop nothing to save her – even if it means joining a shape-shifting trickster god and a bitter princess. But each of the gods is more powerful than the last and even with the help of the power from the fruit of the baobab, this quest is not going to be easy!

 

The Boy to Beat the Gods is a brilliantly, evocatively written tale of one boy's determined, dangerous and death-defying quest to save both his own sister, his village and all those who suffer at the hand of the Orisha. Rooted in African storytelling, it is a thrilling, and entertaining tale which explores the themes of loyalty, trust, and friendship. Once begun it is impossible to put down as action and drama spews from its pages. To say I was on the edge of my seat would be an understatement. Each of the seven gods brings a new challenge for Kayode and this exciting story, full to bursting with epic battle scenes, beautifully balanced with humour and sprinkled with quieter reflection, will keep readers gripped to the very last page!

 

A wonderful story of self-belief for readers of 9+, this would also make a wonderful read-aloud book for school, home and libraries!

Tracey Corner

Chasing the Shy Town

Erica McGann, illus. Toni Galmés, pub. Little Island

Senan’s new neighbour, Joshua Robyn, is very adventurous. Together they start digging to wherever the spinning world takes them; they begin building a boat to sail a stream to the ocean; search for secret passages under Senan’s house but find none. All these adventures never take them any further than the end of the road, much to Senan’s relief: he is not very adventurous.

 

So, imagine Senan’s worry when Gran let’s slip about the Shy Town. He had only seen Shy Town two and a half times from his bedroom window, through his binoculars. It was on a hill with winding streets, houses with red and yellow roofs, a park and blue lake. The town however rarely appeared, and when it did, soon disappeared as if it didn’t want to be seen. Gran and Joshua conspire and, the following weekend when Joshua is supposedly sleeping over, they plan to embark on their greatest adventure yet. To find the Shy Town.

 

Joshua and Gran prove to be feisty adventurers, joined by the Paper Boy, another great adventurer, whilst Senan continues to long for home. Then they find Pearl, a kruckle, an anxious and lost inhabitant of Shy Town, and slowly the mystery unravels. However the need to find Shy Town becomes more pressing, before it can escape across the sea.

 

Chasing the Shy Town is an imaginative story, encouraging readers to develop a more adventurous spirit about life as Senan overcomes his reluctance, gains in confidence and begins to enjoy himself. There is a great dynamic between Gran, Joshua, Paperboy and Senan on their journey, and of course they befriend Pearl.

 

As with all good stories, there is a strong moral message once they discover the truth about the Shy Town - enjoy the messiness of life and don’t worry about perfection. This means everyone can indulge in their own joie de vivre without pressure from anyone else. For Senan that is definitely staying at home and eating his gran’s delicious iced buns!

Simon Barrett

The Cheat Book: Vol 1

Ramzee, pub. Hodder Children’s Books

Zero. The first and only zero, Wing, Kamal’s friend has ever seen on Popstock, the new social media app, calculating a person’s popularity based on an algorithm of everyone else’s score.  Kamal’s score on Popstock is zero. His social status is rock bottom.

 

Moreover, Kamal’s secret is also out. He is a refugee. Shackleton Academy is his third school, which he has attended for nearly a year, making great friends with Wing and Jojo, but afraid that even this is not permanent. Kamal expects to be bullied.

 

When a book unexpectedly appears in his hand - the Cheat book – Kamal is desperate to do everything and anything to be popular at school, achieving a Popstock score that is off the charts. The book promises to have the solutions to all of Kamal’s problems.

 

Kamal’s slippery slope begins by avoiding getting into further trouble with the Head Teacher and consequently his parents. A style fix leads to an unexpected run in with the school bully, Neville ‘the Ogre’ Sykes, and Kamal’s desperate measures to avoid a fight. But Kamal wants more, successfully using the Cheat Book to become a school sports superstar, change friendship groups, receive party invites, enter the school talent show and finally, campaign to be the new school captain. Kamal seems unstoppable. Kamal’s ratings skyrocket, but his morals plummet. As a Muslim, Kamal believes two angels are writing down all of his actions, the angel Raqib, writing down all his goods deeds, and the angel Atid, writing down all his bad ones. The dialogue between these two angels watching from the side-lines of Kamal’s life is hilarious, offering a voice of conscience in the story. Even Atid despairs!

 

The Cheat Book is very funny. As a reader you generally feel Kamal is a good character, anxious about who he is and not wanting to disappoint his parents, doing his best to navigate the perils of secondary school in the UK. Much of what author and illustrator Ramzee writes about resonates with some reality of school, especially the pressure of social media and different ways young people try to increase their popularity.

 

Despite everything Kamal manages to keep the Cheat Book.  Ready for Volume 2?

Simon Barrett

Ettie and the Midnight Pool

Julia Green, illus. Pam Smy, pub. David Fickling Books

Ettie and her grandma have lived together since her mother left to go travelling as a doctor. With the world affected by a war and sickness it’s now just the two of them in isolation. Ettie’s days are blissfully full however, with jam making, stories, sketching and playing in the wild woods that surround High Fell House where they live. Although Ettie is happy, she dearly misses her mother who has, due to the grounding of planes and the war, been unable to return or even write.

 

When Ettie spies the mysterious Cora who appears to be walking with a fox, Ettie finds herself drawn to her and follows her to the disused quarry where a pool, deep and inviting now lies. Grandma warns Ettie not to go there, it’s dangerous, but Ettie is intrigued by both the pool and the girl, and her friendship with Cora slowly develops. Tension builds as Ettie, on the cusp of adolescence, pulls ever further away from her grandma. She is desperate to explore, to take risks like her mother and discover if there is more to her life than what she has been told. Ettie is certain a secret is being kept from her and believes Cora may have the answer. But not everything is as it may seem and as the summer comes and the story reaches a dramatic climax, both Ettie and Grandma face their truths.

 

I can honestly say I had no idea of what to expect from this story, but what a joy it was to read. A haunting and beautiful tale of freedoms, of growing up, and of how we as adults want to protect our children, and of how the secrets of the past are never really hidden. Wrapped in Julia Green’s exquisitely detailed description of the British countryside Ettie’s story is beautifully edged with Pam Smy’s wonderful illustrations which so cleverly reflect both the beauty and the darkness that lies at this story’s heart.

 

Ettie and the Midnight Pool is a poignant story that had me gripped, and torn between two totally identifiable characters, I can whole heartedly recommend this story which is in my eyes a classic! I will be reading this again…and again!

Tracey Corner

Freya's Gold

Fiona Longmuir, illus. Carmi Grau, pub. Nosy Crow

When I read Fiona Longmuir's first book Looking For Emily it left me feeling that this author was going to be an exciting author to look out for in the future, and when I found out about this book I was eager to read it.

 

Legend says the cliffs by the seaside town of Edge are riddled with smugglers' tunnels, and that gold is stashed in their caves. Freya and her best friend Lin love searching for treasure on the beach, but they steer clear of the dark and twisting tunnels. It would be easy to get lost in there, and Freya's sure she can hear voices echoing from them when the wind blows. Then a mysterious woman moves into Freya's granny's B&B and soon everything that Freya loves about Edge is under threat. It's time for Freya to face her fears. Can she strike gold before time runs out for her town?

 

This is a charming adventure story with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers occupied. The clever mystery that lies at the heart of it all is eventually revealed, but not before Freya and Lin have a far more eventful time than they ever anticipated! Freya is a geeky, scaredy-cat twelve year-old, she is loyal to her gran and her town, and she must summon her inner lion and become brave. She is a wonderful role model.

 

What a wonderful read! Freya's Gold is a fast-paced tale, packed with mystery and suspense, not to mention pirate caves and hidden treasure, perfect for 8-12 year-olds. Warm, funny and frightening by turns, the tightly twisted plot keeps the pages turning and the vividly drawn setting bites as deep as the salt wind off the sea. And I was right, Fiona Longmuir is an exciting author and I look forward to seeing what she writes next.

Helen Byles

The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie

Radhika Sanghani, pub. Usborne

Twelve-year-old Priya Shah hates to let anyone down, so she tells lies. Just small ones, little white ones to make everything seem perfect, after all she would hate anyone to be disappointed! But Priya’s life is not perfect. In fact, it’s not even close especially, as she is grieving the loss of her Ba – the only person she was always honest with. Priya is struggling with so many things, the pressure of expectation in gymnastics, and the worry of how her parents can afford her training. Her parents are arguing and now her gymnastics training and her worries are exhausting her, causing her to fall asleep in school.

 

After a particularly difficult day, Priya is looking at the gold bangle her Ba has left her. It has a broken clasp meaning it is unwearable, but when the clasp suddenly opens Priya slips it on she wonders if things are about to start to get better. The next day Priya finds she is unable to lie. She finds herself telling the truth no matter how hard she tries not to and Priya wonders if, in some way, it has anything to do with the bangle, but…she can’t take it off!

 

Not being able to lie can cause a whole lot of problems and, even with the support of her two best friends Mei and Sami, Priya finds her life becoming ever more complicated. Can Priya find a way to be honest without hurting those she loves?

 

The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie is a wonderfully enchanting story. It is a contemporary tale with a magical twist, which is full of humour, love, family, and friendships. A thought provoking read which highlights the complexities of feelings and relationships in a fun way. Priya is a completely relatable character, who has been bottling up her feelings for far too long and whilst Ba’s gift may not feel like a blessing it helps Priya discover the courage she needs to own her emotions and speak up about how she feels – a valuable lesson for us all!

 

A beautiful read for all children aged 9+!

Tracey Corner

Hero Wanted!

Mark Powers, illus. Coralie Muce, pub. Bloomsbury Children’s Books

One fateful day, a huge meteorite hit the Earth, separating the county of Brokenshire from the Mainland, sending it into its own pocket of space, unseen, largely forgotten and now rarely visited except by humans chancing upon time space rips. Whilst the Mainland changed, Brokenshire remained a land of magic and talking animals, many now extinct elsewhere on Earth.

 

The county of Brokenshire is at war: the People of the Day fighting desperately against the People of the Night. And Grace Parker of 18 Marigold Avenue, Flakebury, is the fifteenth and final Saving Grace who will lead the Army of the People of the Day and end the Worthy War.  All twelve-year-old Grace needs to do is follow the lead of her brave (and talking) war horse Wellingtonia into the County of Brokenshire, successfully cross hostile country avoiding the Elite Assassin Force and take on the Fearsome Foe, finally defeating the arch enemy of the Morning, Scarlett Moss. Unfortunately, Grace hadn’t needed to learn sword fighting growing up in Flakebury, but she is keen to be absent when her brother finds out she has broken his guitar. So, her adventure begins.

 

The tear drop shaped land of Brokenshire is full of the unexpected, unlikely friends in strange places as well as harmless looking foes, who Grace would be best not to underestimate. Fighting alongside dinosaurs, dodos, spiders, tortoises and toads, against bears, chickens, badgers, dragons and venom goblins, it seems Grace needs to use her wits more than her weapon – Swickstipe forged in a sacred volcano from Hyperion steel - which generally offers Grace a greater chance of success. Something however does not seem quite right about this cataclysmic battle between good and evil.

 

Hero Wanted! is a lot of fun with great characters on both sides of the war: Day and Night. There is a superb twist at the end as Grace discovers the real reason of the war, fulfilling the prophecy, but perhaps not as intended.

 

Heed the warning on the front cover and be wary of encountering mind-control slugs.

Simon Barrett

The Hidden Story of Estie Noor

Nadine Aisha Jassat, illus. Sandya Prabhat, pub. Orion

Estie has been expelled from school. She is hurt and upset and angry. Her mother’s acceptance of the school’s side of the story and her refusal to hear Estie’s account has left her distraught. Being sent to a small Scottish town to stay with her aunt Ru, whom she scarcely knows, feels a cruel banishment. But Rumana is welcoming and loving. Before long Estie is involved in preparations for the village art fair. Brunstane is a place that celebrates creativity and community and where diversity and inclusion are at the core. To her surprise, Estie finds herself making friends with Idris, the self-named Super Sleuth of the town. Together they discover a mystery and set about working out the meaning of the beautiful paper sculptures they track down and the messages hidden with them. Gradually they uncover a story of treachery that will shock the town and bring about a long-awaited fairness.

 

As that story comes to light, so too does Estie’s own. As readers we also put together some of the pieces. Estie has been profoundly wronged by a teacher who consistently puts her down and refuses to accept her knowledge of mixed heritage heroines. He has destroyed her work, and Estie has responded. The school believed the teacher and not her. So has her mother, who is unaware too of all the comments from Estie’s fellow pupils about her hair and her skin colour.

 

This is a powerful, moving and important book. The first-person verse narration is immensely effective. We feel Estie’s pain. And we feel the difference in her as her voice is heard and she experiences true friendship and acceptance and regains her loving relationship with her mother. There are lots of great characters here, not least Idris. How unusual and valuable to have a protagonist with type 1 diabetes who gets on happily with his life with the help of modern technology. Lynsey and Lindsey, the town’s quite exceptional bakers are a delight. Definitely a book I recommend.

Anne Harding

The Houdini Inheritance

Emma Carroll, pub. Faber & Faber

This is another work of historical fiction from Emma Carroll. It is based on Harry Houdini, the world famous escape artist from the 1920’s. In a very useful author’s note, Emma Carroll explains that the details she includes about Houdini’s wife, Bess, are based on fact, as is the information about some of his tricks and his top secret trunk, Number 8. Other features of the story are creation and are not intended to be fact. A very colourful and interesting cover invites the reader to explore a story packed with mystery, secrets and death defying stunts. The mix of historical fact and fiction works very well.

 

A thrilling and exciting plot features an impressive female character, which Emma Carroll Is known for. This main character is Glory, who is supported by her friend Dennis. As well as mystery and magic, the story is also about friendship and blackmail. Glory and Dennis go to watch Houdini when he visits their seaside town of Sidford-on Sea. Houdini plans to jump off the town pier into the sea below. He will be tied in chains and must try to escape. Things seem to go wrong and the excitement really starts when Glory accidentally outsmarts Houdini. She finds herself drawn into his world of magic and secrecy. This develops into a dangerous world of rivalry and deception. The plot develops as Glory and Dennis find themselves looking after Houdini’s secret trunk and travelling to America.

 

This story featuring a world famous escape artist, a suitcase full of secrets, dangerous stunts and two innocent children develops into a tale of excitement with a good mix of fact and fiction. It is a great read an interesting mystery.

Gary Kenworthy

I Am Wolf

Alastair Chisholm, pub. Nosy Crow

In the world of Chisholm’s novel, people live on mechanical, metal constructs. They are driven by the willpower of those who live on it. The one which Coll, the protagonist, lives on takes the form of a wolf. Coll, who has a prosthetic arm and leg, often feels ostracized by his ‘clan’, the other people who live on Wolf.

 

This life is all Coll has ever known and he has absolute loyalty to Wolf. All of his life has been spent roaming the world on Wolf, fighting other clans to absorb into their own. That is, until one day, when he and two others are accidentally cast adrift from Wolf and must survive alone. Wolf was attacked by a dangerous new Construct and although adrift he has help from Rieka, a ‘Tock’, one who makes the Constructs work but can Coll trust her and what are her motives, learning the truth could destroy everything Coll thought he knew about his world, his clan and even himself. Coll will have to find his way back.

 

The central theme of this book and its power lie in the character of Coll and his quest to find his own identity and belief in himself. Even readers who are unused to worlds like Chisholm’s and the tropes used in Sci Fi, will find themselves rooting for Coll.

 

Chisholm also, through Coll, makes some profound statements about difference and living with it. Readers who have experienced any kind of difference and particularly those living with prostheses will empathise with Coll.

Rebecca Butler

Mayowa and the Sea of Words

Chibundu Onuzo, pub. Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This is an incredible story, with a powerful twist. Mayowa is spending time with her grandfather this summer but he is an odd character with a bright green beard and penchant for jumping on books.

 

May’s mother is not keen on the jumping on books and has banned the activity for Mayowa. Over the course of the summer, Mayowa learns a lot about her grandfather and the reasons for book jumping, or logosaltering as it is formally called. He can channel emotions through stories to those around him. Sending courage to May when she climbs too high in a tree or compassion to those on a protest to protect refugees. So there is good reason for and purpose to his actions.

 

May discovers she too can logosalter and just in time as it turns out someone else has this ability and that they are using their power for evil, not the good that her grandfather does! Can May and her grandpa combat those who wish to stop refugees entering the UK? Are they strong enough to share compassion, empathy and understanding with enough people to change the course of a vote in parliament?

 

Wonderfully written, this story highlights the power of words when used for good. It celebrates refugees and their unique experiences and courage. The relationship between May and those around her is special and she is very loved. Not to mention powerful!

Erin Hamilton

Nora and the Map of Mayhem

Joseph Elliott, illus. Nici Gregory, pub. Templar Books

Interspersed with wildly imaginative, nail-biting pandemonium, Nora and the Map of Mayhem provides sparkling entertainment. A book that will win over the most reluctant 8+ year old. The reader can’t help wondering how Nora aka GG and her great grandchildren Atticus and Autumn, are going to escape the appalling horrors that endlessly appear. But the good news is that they all manage to reach the epilogue, and happily sit down for tea. Joseph Elliott, the author, has a special interest in children with SEN, and is to be applauded for his resourceful ingenuity in writing this book. Children will love it along with any accompanying adults who happen to be around at the time.

 

Nora opens her front door to the arrival of Atticus and Autumn, having forgotten that she agreed to this short stay a while back. No sooner has she shut the door than a huge thud heralds the arrival of intrigue and drama, broadcast by the note pinned to the door with a knife. Nora alias Spit-tooth, a monster hunter in her dim and distant past, had stolen a map belonging to an arch enemy Ripclaw alias Winifred Blossomhurst. Nora then sells it on to Grizzler, an old flame, who unable to make any sense of it has buried it on the Craggenwich Islands. They need to get it back asap. And so, the story unravels involving monsters and all manner of dire events, including galleons and ‘nautical marauders’, commonly known as pirates. It is all action, and a lot of fun!

 

This is a cracking little book with endearing life management tips for younger people interspersed throughout the text. Phones and friend handling are top of the list, along with “weirdness”, being odd or simply not stereotypical. Is it so bad the text asks to be unusual? How boring if we were all the same. And lots more little gems safeguarded by Nora, retired monster hunter and active great grandmother.

Elizabeth Negus

Nush and the Stolen Emerald

Jasbinder Bilan, pub. Chicken House Books

A brilliant tale, built from a mix of fact and fiction by the talented Jasbinder Bilan.

 

Anushka and twin brother Arian are the main characters in this story, headstrong Anushka, ‘Nush’ leads the way and is a determined girl, Arian is quieter and more cautious. They are Indian royalty, princess and prince and they have had to watch the British East India Company take their land and the family’s most divine jewel – an emerald that is the size of an apple.

 

When their father, the Maharaja, plans to travel to England to discuss the East India company and their battles with the Queen, at Buckingham Palace, it is Nush who takes Arian’s place and travels with her father. It takes months for them to get there, a good reminder of how much we take travel for granted, but they are quickly welcomed into the family. Papa has constant meetings with advisors yet no progress seems to be made.

 

When the children are taken to Osbourne house for a week, Nush confides in her father about her secret plan to reunite Lakshmi’s emerald with their family. Papa promises to do some investigating whilst Nush is away. When they return a week later it is to discover that papa has urgently returned to India with their entire party, leaving Nush behind.

 

Nush’s determination to find the gem that belongs to her family and can heal her country leads her to uncover a jewel plot right in the palace where she is still staying. Can she save the emerald? Can she find her father?

 

Nush and the Stolen Emerald is a fascinating and exciting story.

Erin Hamilton

On Poetry Street

Brian Moses, illus. Mark Elvins, pub. Scallywag Press

Walking down the street, what can you read? You can pick this collection of poems which I have with me in this sizzling weather - and this one is titled ‘On Poetry Street’ by Brian Moses. This 120 paged anthology with 52 poems is made for the dreamers who wish to dream and create. It's an exercise in reading verses and writing one's own too!

 

With sketches by Mark Elvins and words by Brian Moses children aged 7-12 can definitely draw some inspiration on how to rhyme sentences, discover meanings and create poems from any word, phrase or feeling they are going through. In fact, the author introduces the reader with a little test first to see whether one has a love for poetry. From there we travel through varied verses on themes as diverse as a village or a dragon on one hand and on ‘Painting the Town Red’ and the ‘North Face’ on the other. Read a sample from the poem ‘If I had Ears the Size of Satellite Dishes…’

“If I had ears the size of satellite dishes . . .

I could hear the buzz and whine of saws as they toppled rainforest trees.

I could hear the soft beating of a butterfly’s wings.

I could hear a ladybird’s footsteps on a leaf and the arguments of ants under the ground….”

 

And in another poem, ‘So Bored’ -

“So bored, I counted all the bricks in the garden wall. I talked to my dad about his varieties of roses. I watched our tortoise make slow and steady progress back to our vegetable patch.

 

So bored, I stared out the window watching the clouds drift by. I rearranged all the socks in my drawer. I talked to my grandma about her knitting.”

 

Some of the illustrations are a bit grotesque and icky like one in the poem titled ‘Worst Kisses’ where a monstrous creature with a dripping nose takes up space on the page and others are cute and cuddly like the big gorilla in ‘Safer Than…?’ The poet includes realism in his verses without eliminating creative thoughts.

 

Children with bright imaginations will enjoy this collection of poems, it can be introduced as an exciting collection for children in order to evoke inventiveness.

Ishika Tiwari

Pernickety Boo

Sally Gardner, illus. Chris Mould, pub. HarperCollins Children’s Books

Leave a spell from The Time Traveller’s Book of Spells bubbling away, stir with a plain black stick umbrella; add a few cake crumbs from a sponge cake filled with raspberry jam and cream; mix in dog hairs from a bouncy, hairy greyhound and presto, one magical talking, time travelling umbrella, calling itself Pernickety Boo. Sadly, Pernickety Boo is misplaced very quickly by the absent-minded sorcerer on London’s Circle Line and so the adventure begins.

 

Pernickety Boo learns a lot from the objects passing through Baker Street’s Lost and Found, but knows very little about the actual world. A jumbo sale isn’t quite what he imagines, but he finds a new owner who loves the umbrella very much: Sylvie Moonshine.

 

Left alone in Sylvie’s house however, the umbrella makes a complete mess of the bathroom, attempts to help in the kitchen and has a taste for gloves that some might unkindly interpret as stealing. It is Pernickety Boo’s partner in crime, Jimjam the cat, who that saves him from causing more mayhem, and, using the cat flap, allows the umbrella to taste the great outdoors. Jimjam is a great personality in the story, a little streetwise to offset Pernickety Boo’s naivety.

 

Pernickety Boo is a very desirable umbrella: at risk of being stolen by the bully Billy Turpin and his accomplice Simon the Snake; being exposed by local news reporter, Ada Moore, and perhaps claimed by the umbrella’s original owner. Moreover, time travelling might be good fun – so long as you can get back in time – Sylvie’s Mum worries about Pernickety Boo’s untested magical powers. Author Sally Gardner expertly paces the story, gradually bringing in enough trepidation to make Pernickety Boo doubt that home is as safe as it may appear for objects, even much-loved ones.

 

Pernickety Boo is a great story. Sally Gardner’s words and Chris Mould’s pictures develop a loveable character from a simple everyday object. There is calamity that is funny and remedied before too much harm is caused. A great balance between moments of danger and the safe, protective care of Sylvie and her Mums. Every child will want their very own Pernickety Boo.

Simon Barrett

The Secret Garden Rewilded

Anthea Simmons, pub. Andersen Press

This sensitive retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Secret Garden brings the story up to date and delivers an important twist.

 

Mia, like Mary in the original, is spoilt and self-absorbed. She too has been orphaned. An uncle she doesn’t know drives her from London to his home in Dartmoor. Mia doesn’t miss her parents, killed in an accident, because they spent very little time with her. Celebrities and influencers, they were always travelling, their strongest legacy a belief that things were only worth doing if they led to success and fame. She doesn’t miss the girls at her posh school either, but being taken away from Louisa and Ellis, who looked after her, is hard.

 

It’s hard too to be in a cold house in the middle of nowhere with no one she knows. Her uncle leaves for a long work trip abroad. The only people here are Mrs Jefferies and her daughter Maddie, who care for the house and Uncle James’s son Christopher who has a serious heart condition that keeps him virtually bedbound. His knowledge of the world comes almost entirely from his computer and books. The initial meeting between fractious Mia and frightened Christopher is terse and tense, but gradually they warm to each other. She gets to know Maddie’s son Daniel as well. Like Dickon in Burnett’s tale, Daniel adores nature and is immensely well informed about it.

 

Mia stumbles across a padlocked garden, an astonishing, sequestered, overgrown space. She longs to restore its original beauty but can’t do it by herself. Swearing Daniel to secrecy, she takes him there. To her frustration he insists that instead of clearing they should rewild, creating an environment for plants, animals and insects that will help combat the impact of climate change. Before long Christopher too is involved. The garden was his mother’s. Together they find joy, magic and meaning in the long, hard work of bringing it back to life. Christopher gains strength and courage. Mia loses her frostiness and learns to love nature. She has to overcome demons when Daniel is injured, their mobiles have no signal and she is the only person able to get help. When Uncle James returns the changes he encounters are not confined to the transformed garden.

 

While never preachy, the author’s love for the natural world and her passion for protecting it shine through in this uplifting story of redemption, friendship and discovery. With believable twenty-first century characters who are readily identifiable, who readers will soon root for, and a garden they too will grow to love.

Anne Harding

Storm Child

Ele Fountain, pub. Pushkin Children’s Books

Maya Penrose has what some might perceive as an idyllic life, she loves to surf and spend time with her blossoming friendship group. For Maya surfing is her passion, her connection to friendships and a central narrative to the story. However, sometimes life throws us storms and for Maya this comes in the form of a literal storm. A terrible storm that sees her dad losing his fishing boat (and almost his life) that has far reaching affects within her family. The family opt for a fresh start, a relocation to another coastal location on the other side of the world. We see Maya navigate new friendships, a new lifestyle and her families processing of their experiences.

 

I found this a pacey read, with short chapters that left me longing for ‘just one more chapter’. This format allows us to really explore Maya’s story. I particularly connected with the discussion around her feelings and responses to the situations she found herself in. Being set in dual locations, gave us an opportunity to see contrasting experiences for Maya. I liked that the book offered narrative on the effects of tourism on local communities and the sometimes negative impacts this can have on traditional lifestyles. This was approached with sensitivity and gives the reader a point of reflection. It was also given as a point of contrast, being discussed in both locations.

 

Rich in the varied connections people share with our oceans and navigating friendships, this is the perfect book to accompany your summer adventures - and beyond!

Hannah Palmer

Terra Electrica: The Guardians of the North

Antonia Maxwell, pub. Neem Tree Press

Antonia Maxwell’s first novel invites middle grade readers to engage with a fantasy that bears a startling similarity to so many of the problems we face in the current world. Fascinating, frightening, exciting, puzzling and beneath this all, reassuring, this is a book that should be available in every school and which I very much hope will become a classic.

 

The Guardians of the North is the first of a projected duo of novels which will overall form Terra Electrica. Maxwell envisages a time in the near future where a deadly world-wide illness has killed many men, women and children. Those who survived so far are terrified that they will contract it and die through those who remain infected. Sound familiar? Yes, our own experiences of Covid offer readers a very real understanding of this novel. Of course, the title of the series, Terra Electrica, is a clever one, as it refers both to a land which has electricity, and it can also, when spoken aloud, be interpreted as ‘terror electrica’, which forewarns readers of the core of the novels.

 

This novel’s blurb on its back cover sets the scene succinctly and scarily: ‘The last ice cap has melted, and the world is on the brink of collapse. A deadly force – terra electrica – has been unleashed. It feeds on electricity. It is infecting civilization.’ In this first book, we follow Mani, twelve years old, whose mother has died in the pandemic. She is living with her father in a polar cave, with both of them keeping carefully out of the way of anything that they might encounter which would transmit terra electrica. However, when their dwindling food becomes dangerous to eat (pickled rat doesn’t sound too good), Mani’s father sets off to find seal meat and berries. When he doesn’t return Mani leaves the cave to find the scientific research station. She has a wooden mask which, when she wears it, magically produces an owl, a polar bear, a wolf, a crow and an eagle, all of which help her.

 

We leave her with those animals, who tell her she has more adventures to come to cure the world… Unputdownable!

Bridget Carrington

Transcendent

Patrick Gallagher, pub. Orion Children’s Books

This is a great adventure story, featuring twins Jacob and Kira, on an exciting intergalactic mission. The story is based on these two amazing and intelligent characters as they embark on a high tech mission into space. It is also about the environment and conservation. The fast paced, action packed thriller is set in Uganda and London. There are some great descriptions and interesting comparisons between the two locations.

 

The two main characters live in Uganda with their conservationist mother. Jacob is introverted and Kira is hot headed. It is Kira who really wants to explore outside Uganda. They discover that someone has been watching them and aiming to enlist them in the top secret agency called Transcendent. They end up on the streets of London where their lives are turned upside down.

 

The story is based around three difficult trials, which the twins must complete. Each is more difficult than the previous one. If successful they will be launched into space to complete a mission to fight the greatest threat the world has ever seen. There are many questions to be answered. Why have the twins been chosen? Will their dreams of adventure come true? Is the threat too much for them to handle?

 

So, the reader is invited to join the team and help to save the world. Here we have an edge of your seat, high octane adventure, featuring two children, space travel, a top secret agency and a mission to save the world.

Gary Kenworthy

Unicornia: Learning to Fly

Ana Pusnet, illus Diana Vicedo, pub. Walker Books

Unicorns, the most magical of mythical creatures, animals that captivate everyone’s imagination and being legendary, can be portrayed in every way possible. I am sure that you will have come across, and probably also read, a unicorn story. But have you ever been to a place named after the unicorns we love so much? Have you ever been to Unicornia I doubt it, primarily because this place is the creation of Ana Punset and has been imagined into pictures by Diana Vicedo. Rosie Eyre has translated the story from Spanish to English and it is simply a delight. It is also very pink, unashamedly so and why not. It is a full colour illustrated story for children aged 5+, those who are ready to move on from picturebooks but parents I am sure you will get equal enjoyment from reading this with them! Plus, this is the first title in what is going to be a new series.

 

Unicornia: Learning to Fly is the book which introduces us to a new world, to new characters and lets our imaginations run wild as we dive into to all the sparkly, wonderful, funny, creative newness. It has only been two weeks since Claudia’s dreams came true. She and her parents moved to Unicornia, a place that is tucked away so snugly on the edge of the map that barely anyone can see it. It is one of those places that likes to make itself known to the people it wants to come to it… In the whole universe Unicornia is the most magical of cities. It is a place where cars run not on petrol but on syrup, buses have wings rather than wheels and of course there are unicorns everywhere! This is a city where the air smells sweet and it is the city where the School of Advanced Magic can be found. This is Claudia’s new school, there are going to be lots of new lessons including unicorn flying (and a test) and lots of new friends to be made. Are you ready to sparkle and fly with Claudia and the unicorns?

Louise Ellis-Barrett

The Wanderdays: Journey to Fantome Island

Clare Povey, pub. Usborne

The first in a new series The Wanderdays: Journey to Fantome Island is dripping with action and adventure from the very start. When Flo Wanderday begins making breakfast for herself and her younger brother Joseph, she notices the time and a bad feeling creeps over her. Her consistently punctual mother ALWAYS calls at precisely quarter past 7, every morning, whenever she is away on an expedition. Now, it is half past seven and the second day in a row that mum has not called. With panic threatening to overwhelm her, Flo answers the door to her best friend Funmi, who shares the news that Flo’s mum Nellie, a documentary maker and famous ocean explorer, has been reported missing whilst on her latest expedition.

 

Flo and Joseph soon discover that Nellie was on a mission to prove that the local TV presenter, Sir Frederick Titan, is not the environmental hero he claims he is. Instead, he has been destroying habitats for his own profit. Could Titan be behind Nellie’s disappearance? After all he seems to have a lot to hide; what is his mysterious project on Fantome Island?

 

Joined by their friends, Funmi and Isaac, and Nellie’s friend Marianne de la Mer, Flo and Joseph board a submarine in search of their mother and hoping to also reveal Titans lies and the secrets he his hiding on Fantome Island.

 

This tense, action-packed adventure has strong environmental themes carefully woven throughout the plot, addressing the exploitation of natural resources, the climate crisis, and the damage to our ocean’s creatures due to ghost nets. However, it is brilliantly written, with lots of tension and danger and some absolutely fantastic twists and turns along the way, many of which come completely by surprise and will keep you turning the pages. Perfectly placed clues help the reader to follow Nellie’s trail and allow them to attempt to solve the mystery for themselves along the way.

 

I found that all of the characters were beautifully written with Flo’s protective and supportive bond with her brother who has OCD is a real strong point – it’s so lovely to read about siblings who get along so well. This is the first of Clare Povey’s books that I have read, and it really did not disappoint. A fast paced and exciting journey, this book will have you hooked from the beginning. Suitable for all lovers of perilous adventure tales aged 9+.

Tracey Corner

We are Family: Six Kids and a Super-Dad

Oliver Sykes, illus. Ian Morris, pub. Otter-Barry Books

We are Family is a nostalgic collection of poetry, forming an interconnected narrative, a story about the author’s real-life childhood in the 1990s. A childhood that was rough, tough but happy, this debut is based on Oliver Syke’s own experiences of being one of six siblings, to a solo parenting dad. It is a testament to his dad, an homage to his dedication and love for his children.

 

Featured are a variety of poetry styles, with black and white illustrations from Ian Morris throughout. As a fellow child of the 1990s and growing up in a similar demographic of the working class, a lot of these poems resonated with me. Resulting in me relaying them to my sibling and us taking a trip down memory lane together.

 

Not only nostalgic, this collection, this story also offers up an opportunity for a giggle. After all dad makes disgusting nettle soup and some peculiar pancakes, there are home haircuts, press-ups and scum in the bathtub. Additionally, the sibling relationships are depicted in a very relatable way, there’s love, tension and some disagreements too! Dad gives them boxing lessons, takes them on outings, jokes around, plays pranks and tells stories around the campfire. And the birthday cake…! With his writing style reminiscent of the previous Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, I anticipate this being a book popular with children for the humour and adults for the reflection on their own childhoods.

Hannah Palmer

Where the Water Takes Us

Alan Barillaro, pub. Walker Books

Ava Amato does not really want to spend the summer with her loving grandparents on their island. Her mum is in hospital awaiting the birth of Ava’s twin brothers. Ava would rather be with her parents and she feels she was sent away because she is a burden. This heightens her anxiety.

 

When, that summer, age eleven, Ava sees a dead woodpecker, she is convinced her family has been cursed and will experience a bereavement. Her nonna accidentally told her about the rumoured curse and is quick to disabuse her of it but Ava is not convinced.

 

When Ava meets Cody, a boy staying with his father for the summer, an uneasy companionship develops, after all he does seem to be annoyingly cheerful, a true contrast to the way Ava is feeling. Then there is a storm on the island. Will Ava overcome her fears and be able to save Cody whose boat is lost in the storm?

 

Where the Water Takes Us is a beautiful meditative and comforting book which explores the nature of anxiety and the hold it can have on people. There are realistic evocations of anxiety but the author never allows the reader to judge Ava’s reactions negatively. This will be an important book for anyone who feels confused or lost.

Rebecca Butler

The Wrong Shoes

Tom Percival, pub. Simon & Schuster Children’s Books

Things are tight at home for Will. His dad suffered an injury at work but is unable to claim benefits. Will’s love for art and his friendship with another boy, Cameron, make things bearable in school, despite bully Chris Tucker’s constant jeering. That is, it is bearable until a misunderstanding with Cameron drives the two boys apart. Isolated, worried by the worsening of his dad’s financial situation and wellbeing, Will is drawn closer to Chris Tucker with worrying consequences.

 

However, his blossoming friendship with another pupil and her family, and a positive development in his relationship with his mother’s boyfriend, give Will the confidence to stay true to himself and take steps which are not necessarily easy, but which allow him to take control as much as possible of his circumstances.

 

Percival, through Will’s narrating voice, shows the complexity of Will’s life: his concern for his dad, his unease at his mother’s new living arrangements, his longing for the family life they used to enjoy, his struggle to fit in school and the general disenchantment that this causes. Will is a credible character and the small steps that lead him to join the wrong sort of friends and to step outside the law are credible too. Equally believable, however, is the value of friendship and of small gestures of kindness that bring hope. Poverty is not the only issue present in this book, which offers multiple opportunities for reflection about exploitation, bullying and juvenile crime, for example. However, thank you to Percival for showing also the importance of accessing school and the opportunities that it offers to discover talents and to provide inspirations that can really change lives. Here, it is a dedicated art teacher who gives Will a safe and empowering place and a sense of self-esteem.

 

According to the National Literary Trust’s statistics, quoted in this book, one in three children were living in poverty in 2022, with reading levels among children from disadvantaged backgrounds being relevantly lower than the average. This powerful book contributes to raising awareness and should become a staple of libraries and classrooms too.

Laura Brill

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