Norah’s Ark is a powerful, empathetic story told from the dual viewpoint of two children from very different worlds who find each other when they are both in need of friendship.  This is a story that captured my heart and, I must admit at times, broke it a little.  Whilst there are some very difficult issues addressed, there is also a real sense of hope and love woven throughout that makes this an uplifting, heart-warming read.  This is a story that will stay with me, and is one I cannot recommend highly enough for homes and schools. 

When Norah’s father loses his job, and is unable to afford the rent on their house, they are made homeless and rely on temporary accommodation, food banks and benefits to just about get by.  Norah suffers dreadful bullying at school, and her only friends are the animals she brings home and those she finds to look after, including a nest of motherless baby birds who she shares her food with.  When she visits the nest, she discovers that it has been taken by a boy who lives in a big house with a large garden and a treehouse, and she is determined to get them back …

Adam has spent a lot of time in hospital and is now recovering from leukaemia, is being home-schooled, and is confined to his home and garden by his anxious, over-protective mother who has given up her job to look after him.  When he visits his treehouse to feed the birds, he is met with an angry girl who accuses him of stealing them from her. 

And so, these two children are brought together through their shared love of animals and nature.  Despite the protective shells that they have placed around themselves, they take the first tentative steps towards friendship by working together to release the birds.  Can they overcome their fear of rejection to find a friendship based on trust, honesty and openness? 

This is a wonderfully empathetic story that really opens up so much opportunity for discussion with children around issues such as poverty, homelessness, climate change, animal welfare and illness.  This is a story that I have no doubt will resonate with some young readers and will encourage empathy in others through giving an opportunity to talk about these issues.    

This is also a story with an intriguing family mystery, with danger and with secrets and, as I read it, I loved the dawning realisation of how apt the title is!

I loved that the story was told from the dual viewpoint of Norah and Adam as it gives a genuine insight into their lives told through their authentic voices.  I think what really shines through for me is how these children have so much taken from them, yet they have the capacity for so much love and hope, and give so much through their kindness and resilience.  They are both faced with the consequences of a parent’s fear of losing them and not being open with them, something that impacts on their emotional wellbeing, yet both show courage in challenging that fear and making a positive difference in the lives of their families. 

Norah’s Ark is a beautifully written, heart-warming story of family and friendship, a story of love and hope in the face of adversity, that is a must-read for both children and adults. 

20% of the author royalties for this novel will be donated to Shelter.

Thank you so much to Dave at The Write Reads for inviting me to be part of this blog tour, and to the publishers, Neem Tree Press, for sending me a copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

I’ve missed this for the last couple of weeks as I was in Disney World with no time for reading, but I did start reading again on the flight home!

I’m currently reading Explorers at Stardust City from my Beat the Backlist Challenge. It’s so wonderful being back with Ursula and her friends as they are on a mission to rescue Stella from the Collector. Such an engaging, fun read, and one I’m enjoying late into the night as I’m still on Florida time!

I really enjoyed The Stupendous Sonny who develops superpowers which someone else may want to exploit! I will be posting my review shortly. I also read In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen which is the first in the Geomancer series. I adore Kiran Millwood Harwood’s writing and this was no different. Lyrical with brilliant worldbuilding and a brilliant plot. I’m very keen to read the next one after an ending where it feels there is a lot more adventure to come! I also finished Norah’s Ark which is such a powerful and empathetic story with so much scope for discussion of difficult issues. I will be posting my review tomorrow as part of the Blog Tour.

I’m hoping to read Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine next. I’ll also be starting to listen to audiobooks again as I start back to work, but not sure which one yet.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies is the most marvellous mystery set between Victorian London and Paris, an adventure that completely captivated me as I joined Her Majesty’s League’s newest recruit on her first unmissable mission.

14-year-old Winnie attends Beacon Academy for Poised and Polished Young Ladies.  She has aspirations to become an engineer like her father and has even helped him with his latest design, the Telautograph, which he hopes to show at the prestigious Exposition Universelle World’s Fair in Paris.  Winnie is also hoping to have her latest design chosen as an entrant for the Petit Prix for Young Inventors at the same Fair.  But then something dreadful occurs … and something which changes Winnie’s life …

When she gets the terrible news that her father is missing and that he has been accused of being involved in some underhand business, Winnie is determined to find him and clear his good name.  Leaving the Academy, she takes a hansom cab which, rather than bringing her home, takes her to meet a mysterious woman hiding her identity behind a veil.  This encounter leads to Winnie agreeing to join a League of female secret agents, inventing espionage tools for their missions, on the condition that they will use their resources to help find her father.

The League work to protect none other than Queen Victoria who is far from amused by the antics of a Mr Magpie who appears to be stalking her.  Can the League use their ingenuity to discover the identity of, and capture, this villain?  Will Alice’s new role help her in her mission to be reunited with her father?

This is a fantastically fast-paced, intricate mystery that kept me delightedly turning pages as I was desperate to uncover the identity of the Magpie and learn the reason for their interest in the Queen. I also loved the intrigue behind Winnie’s father’s disappearance and the tantalising trail of clues that led from London to Paris.  The unexpected twists and turns, and the increasing danger, in this tale of espionage and secrets are just perfect, and some revelations genuinely made me gasp … brilliant!

Winnie is the most wonderful protagonist, determined to realise her dream of becoming an engineer and inventor, at a time when society had very different expectations of young ladies.  She is strong-willed, determined and courageous, relishing the opportunity to put her talents to good use in inventing ingenious gadgets to help in the League’s missions.  Despite some initial reluctance to accept her from some of the other agents, Winnie proves herself a worthy agent, and develops wonderfully close and loyal friendships. 

It is so wonderful to read an adventure with female STEM representation and with strong female characters who operate successfully outside of societal expectations, and who stand up for themselves, and to others, when needed.  I must admit that I also really enjoyed the portrayal of Queen Victoria, which brought plenty of humour to the adventure, as well as the references to other historical figures and events.

An absolutely unmissable adventure brimming with intrigue and danger, and with the importance of family and friendship at its heart.  I really hope that there are further adventures for Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies as I would absolutely love to join them on further missions.  Perfect for readers of 11+.

Thank you to Laura Smythe PR and Chicken House for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Peril on the Atlantic is a mesmerising mystery that kept me utterly entranced as I set sail with Alice and her friends aboard the Queen Mary.

It’s July 1936, and 12-year-old Alice’s dreams are coming true as she swaps her boarding school for a voyage across the Atlantic aboard the Queen Mary liner as it sails to New York.  She is accompanying her father who works aboard the ship, so she hopes to spend her days exploring and finding adventures to write about in her adventures scrapbook.  However, she is left feeling disappointed when her father restricts her to a small part of the ship.  Whilst he is busy focussing on the ship winning the prestigious Blue Riband race for the fastest time crossing the Atlantic, Alice is encouraged to read library books and complete her embroidery.

Hoping that her father will be too busy to notice, Alice decides to break his rule and explore the ship.  She finds herself in the first-class swimming pool just before opening, but has to hide when she hears someone coming.  Alice overhears an argument involving a missing package which results in someone being badly injured …

So begins an intriguing mystery as Alice, alongside her new friends Sonny, Charlie and Miriam, work together to discover the identity of the culprit.  As time runs out, they uncover tantalising clues that lead them ever closer to solving the mystery:  a mystery involving dangerous enemies, sabotage and secrets.  There is an entwined puzzle weaving its way through the main mystery whose trail I absolutely loved following especially as it led to some wonderfully unexpected revelations.  This feels like a wonderfully intricate puzzle to solve and I loved how the pieces were slowly brought together by the brilliantly determined young sleuths.

I loved the setting aboard the Queen Mary, which was a real cruise liner, and the descriptions of life on board for both the passengers and the crew, including the mention of Fred Astaire.  I think it makes a perfect setting for a mystery as there is nowhere to escape to whilst in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, yet time to act is limited as the ship races towards its destination which builds excitement and tension.

Alice is an incredibly likeable young girl.  She has been following the adventures of others whilst at boarding school, and longs for her own adventure which she soon finds.  She is kind-hearted, courageous and astute and is not afraid to break a few rules.  She clearly adores her father, but doesn’t get to spend as much time with him as she would like to as he is determined to win the Blue Riband race.  She is also worried that he is keeping secrets from her which she is determined to uncover.  She forms a wonderfully close friendship with Sonny, Charlie and Miriam and together they make a great sleuthing team. 

I have adored all of A.M Howell’s historical mysteries and this one is no exception.  I’m so glad it’s the start of a new series as I’m really looking forward to boarding the next adventure.  I really enjoyed learning about her inspiration behind writing this story.

Sail into an exciting, enthralling mystery, perfect for young adventurers of 9+.

Thank you for Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

There are those that hunt monsters to harm them and there are those that hunt monsters to help them.  Which one are you?

The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm is the first in a new series, Miss Mary-Kate Martin’s Guide to Monsters.  It is a wonderfully warm, enchanting adventure that completely captured me with its link to an ancient legend, its endearing protagonists and its monstrous mystery. 

For the first time, almost 10-year-old Mary-Kate Martin is accompanying her archaeologist mother on her work trip, a visit to the quaint village of Woolington Well.  The Professor has been employed to ascertain whether bones found in an old well are of sufficient historical importance to stop the construction of a new shopping centre on the site. 

When they arrive, the village seems very quiet with no-one around and empty shops and cottages, but strangely, there are saucers of milk outside every building, including the Inn where the Martins are staying.  It is not long before Mary-Kate meets members of the Wyrm Watch Society and begins to learn about an ancient legend that many in the village believe to be true. With earth tremors and strange noises besetting the village, Mary-Kate decides to investigate the mystery.  Could there be truth in this local legend?  And, if so, what could have awoken the angry beast to once again terrorise the village? 

And so begins a wonderfully exciting, endearing and enchanting adventure as Mary-Kate, together with her new friend, Arabella search for evidence of the beast’s existence, following a trail of clues towards some fascinating discoveries.  Can they uncover the truth behind the mystery of the village legend?   

I love stories which link to myths, folklore and legend, and loved how the origins of the legend linking to Woolington Well were researched by Mary-Kate and Arabella through historical sources and evidence, as well as hearsay, related to sightings by villagers.  I also loved that the library played such a central role!

Both Mary Kate and Arabella are incredibly likeable characters.  Mary-Kate likes facts and order and is anxious when there is change.  She likes to wear just the right amount of sparkle and use gel pens and her strawberry-scented notebook to record clues and ask questions:  perfect for solving a mystery!  She is also kind-hearted and braver than she thinks and in need of a friend who she finds in Arabella.  She is friendly, chatty and impulsive and proves herself to be a perfect monster-hunting partner to Mary-Kate.

I love a book with a map and this has a gorgeous map of Woolington Well.  It also has stunning full-and-partial-page illustrations which really complement the charm and warmth of this story.  I haven’t mentioned Pickles, but the illustrations of this adorable pony are just perfect!

I also really liked that each chapter is introduced with an extract from P.K. Mayberry’s Complete Guide to Monsters of the Northern Hemisphere which leads into each chapter with a reference that proves helpful and relevant.

This is a wonderfully warm, magical start to an exciting new series, and is perfect for young adventurers of 8+ who are sure to want to follow Mary-Kate’s monster-hunting mysteries.  Luckily, there’s a sneak-peak into her next adventure at the end of this one.

Thank you to Pushkin Children’s books for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do check out the other stops on the Blog Tour:

I’ve just started another book from my Beat the Backlist Challenge. Just a few pages in, but I think, from reading the synopsis, that it’s one I’ll enjoy.

It’s definitely been a good reading week, but I hadn’t realised I’ve read 9 books! I have posted reviews for Mia and the Traitor of Nubis and The Wrath of the Blob.

I have loved catching up on the Sticky Pines series so also read The Valley of the Strange just before The Wrath of the Blob. This is a seriously brilliant series, and one I’m really looking forward to sharing with my class.

I also read a few books from my Beat the Backlist Challenge. I finished the audiobook of The Werewolves Who Weren’t which is the second in the trilogy. I really enjoyed this fantasy and love the friendship between Sam and the gargoyles and enjoyed meeting his new shapeshifter friends. I’m looking forward to reading the final book which is on my TBR. I also read Moondial which is a gorgeous time travel, ghost story with friendship at its heart. Oh my goodness, I LOVED Giant which I think will be one of my books of the year. The children on Minnie’s island are given a giant as their servant but, when they are 12 years old, they must give the giant back to the island. How the giants are treated was heart-breaking and the twist really surprised me. Minnie is a brilliant young girl who brings about much-needed change when she runs away rather than losing her giant. I’m always in awe of Nicola Skinner’s imagination and this one if no different.

Over the weekend, I read Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies which was a wonderful mystery which I really enjoyed. I am aiming to post my review before the weekend.

I borrowed Birdsong from my library app. This is a beautiful novella that I absolutely loved. It is both heart-breaking and uplifting. I adored the importance given to nature and music as a healing power, and loved the friendship that develops between Annie and Noah. I will definitely be reading Nightjar.

I’ve just finished writing my review for The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm and will be posting it as part of the Blog Tour later this month. This is a gorgeously charming mystery adventure with stunning illustrations.

I’m hoping to read The Stupendous Sonny and Peril on the Atlantic before the weekend. I’m going on holiday to Disneyworld for a couple of weeks which will definitely slow down/stop my reading. I will probably take a break from blogging whilst I’m in Florida and re-start when I get back at the end of August.

What are you reading? Have you read any of these?

I’ve spent the last week thoroughly enjoying an extended stay in Sticky Pines as I caught up with The Thing at Black Hole Lake and The Valley of the Strange last week, and have now finished The Wrath of the Blob.  What an absolutely epic, sci-fi adventure series:  action-packed, hilarious and wonderfully, joyously weird with oodles of mystery, danger and daring.  If you haven’t already treated yourself to this series, I highly recommend a reading feast of all four books.  I love going back to school in September and sharing books I’ve really enjoyed with my new class, and this is definitely a series I’m excited to talk about with them.

Lucy Sladan’s incredible friends, the Nagalons, are fighting for survival after being captured by Milo’s power-hungry father.  If that wasn’t bad enough, her friend Milo has been trapped in a huge impenetrable blob which has been exposed after the draining of Black Hole Lake.  Can Lucy rescue Milo, save the Nagalons and stop Milo’s father before others racing towards Earth wipe out life on the planet? Now, that’s a mission!

Wow!  This is an electrifying adventure that kept me utterly engrossed from the ominous opening to the heart-warming ending with a surprise I wasn’t expecting!  There is a brilliant blend of action, danger, tension and humour which had me on the edge of my seat one moment and giggling the next, and ever-so-slightly grossed out! 

I love when stories can make me laugh, but also share important messages and I think this story does this wonderfully.  The Nagalons are treated cruelly by Milo’s father and his employees when they are revealed to be different partly due to fear as he sees them as a threat, and partly as he wants to harness what they have, even if this means eradicating them.  I think there are some big questions that could be discussed in class around difference, acceptance and rights for all.

I have loved getting to know Lucy who is such an incredible protagonist.  She is curious, tenacious and courageous, someone who follows her own path and what she believes in, even when this leads to disbelief and ridicule from others.  She accepts those who are different to her and shows understanding, friendship and a determination to help, even when this places her in danger.  I really enjoyed the development of her friendship with Milo who is torn between his feelings towards Lucy and his father’s expectations of him but, in the end, has to make his own choices based on what he believes is the right thing to do.     

This is a perfect end to a terrifically thrilling sci-fi adventure series brimming with friendship, humour and mystery, a series I cannot recommend highly enough for readers of 9+.

Thank you to Future Human for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was absolutely gripped by Mia and the Lightcasters so was very excited to read the next in the trilogy, Mia and the Traitor of Nubis, and I was not disappointed!  I loved being back in this dark, dangerous and exciting world and was, once again, swept into Mia’s incredible adventure as she battles against forces of darkness.

Since the Reaper King’s attack and his banishment to the Spirit Plain, life has not been easy for Mia. Whilst trying to learn more about, and control her lightcaster powers, she has to deal with animosity and fear from her classmates and the citizens of Nubis.  Terrifying nightmares plague her and a voice from them even seems to be following her into her waking hours.  She does however gain comfort and support from her loving family and her devoted umbra, Nox and Lux.

As part of her training, Mia must take part in umbra tamer trials held on the Nightmare Plains but, when Nox is almost lost to her, she fears that her nightmares may have become reality.  Have all the Elite been locked up, or could there be one hiding in their midst?  Could there be a traitor in Nubis intent on bringing back an old enemy?  And could there be an enemy even closer to Mia than she imagines?

And so begins a breath-taking, epic and action-packed adventure brimming with excitement, peril and scariness as Mia is determined to prove her suspicions about who has tried to take control of Nox; as she battles to save Nubis and all those she loves before an old enemy destroys them; and as she learns to control her lightcaster powers before they are used by others.  During her mission, Mia meets both old friends and new, but I was never quite sure whether they were friend or foe, which kept me utterly intrigued.  The unexpected twists and revelations, and the edge-of-your-seat building of threat and tension as the action and peril intensified, made this a real page turner.

Once again, I have been completely immersed in this fascinating, richly described world of darkness and light, and loved using the map at the start of the book as I travelled through Lunis from Nubis to the Nightmare Plains to Astaroth. The illustrations are absolutely stunning and complement this world of darkness and moonlight perfectly. 

I adored the close bonds between Mia and her family, and especially her love for her little brother Lucas.  She is incredibly protective of him, but I also really liked that, despite how young he is, Lucas also sees himself as his big sister’s protector.  Mia is such a strong, resilient and courageous young girl who is determined to learn to harness her lightcaster powers to help her protect her home – even when that means sometimes going against the wishes of her family.  I just have to mention Mia’s umbra, Nox and Lux, who have such a loyal, trusting and protective bond with her which is reciprocated fully.  They really feel like her friends, and I loved the humour that they bring.

This is a captivating, exhilarating and edge-of-your-seat adventure, perfect for adventurers of 9+.

Thank you to Bethany Carter and Faber Children’s Books for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I first started teaching, I bought a copy of Oscar Wilde Stories for Children which contained my favourite tale ever. This new paperback picture book edition of The Selfish Giant is absolutely stunning with large, detailed oil paintings on one page and accompanying text on the other.  There is a small square image tile introducing the text, and I loved seeing how this related to the larger artwork.

On their way home from school, the children love going to play in the Giant’s beautiful Garden, filled with flowers and birds singing, which brings them great happiness.  But, when the Giant returns from visiting his friend, he builds a wall around his garden so that the children are no longer welcome there.  The giant’s selfishness and lack of compassion leads to all seasons apart from Winter forsaking his garden.  But then, one day, the Giant has a visitor who changes his life …

This is a very familiar story to me and is one that I adored both as a child and as an adult so it was wonderful to re-read it, accompanied by such beautiful illustrations.  I really cannot emphasise enough how gorgeous and intricate these are:  there is a real fairytale quality to them.  They tell the story and so much more … I can just imagine the conversations that could take place with young readers just from the illustrations alone.  There is a wonderful blending of the beauty of nature, a sense that there is magic in the world as well as giving an insight into the lives of children in the 1800s.

This is a truly beautifully illustrated version of a classic tale of how love can lead to an epiphany and transformation, to forgiveness and compassion, and of how these can affect the lives of others. Perfect for young readers of 6+ who are sure to be mesmerised by this gorgeous edition and will want to return to it again and again.

Thank you to Laura Smythe PR and the Publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.