Dragon Detective:  School’s Out simply sparkles with excitement, fast-paced adventure and oodles of humour.  It is an incredibly enjoyable mystery which I have no doubt will be adored by younger readers.  It’s a story I’m very excited to share with my class as I think it will make a perfect read-aloud story.  Now to practise my dragon voices!

Holly Bigsby has been sent to a high-security school to keep her out of trouble, and has been separated from her friend, Dirk Dilly, a neat-orange-squash loving detective.  Oh, did I mention that he’s also a rather debonair Mountain Dragon?

Dirk runs ‘The Dragon Detective Agency’ and has taken on a new assignment on behalf of a suspicious spouse.  Just as Dirk is about to conclude that there is nothing dubious to report, Professor Karl Rosenfield attends a secret meeting with a sinister sounding stranger.  He hands over a highly dangerous weapon which is being developed by the Government in return for a mysterious package.

After following the Professor to a further meeting, Dirk learns that an old adversary is involved in a dastardly plot, and finds himself under attack by some nasty Tree Dragons.  He tricks the dragons, and makes a timely escape … to find himself near Little Hope which is close to Holly’s school … can he reunite with his partner to solve the case?

Meanwhile, Holly makes a rather disturbing discovery of her own.  Callum, a rather nervous and unusual boy in her school, makes a revelation that he was kidnapped by dragons.  Holly uses all her ingenuity to escape so that she can share her discovery with Dirk.  Does Callum’s kidnap have anything to do with Dirk’s current investigation?

With the two super-sleuths now working together, it is not long before they discover a terrible plot orchestrated by a cruel and manipulative villain.  It is up to Dirk and Holly to work in tandem to foil this threat … will they be able to outsmart a super-villain intent on domination of both the human and dragon worlds?

I loved the delightful assortment of characters in this wonderful story, from the hilarious comedy duo of Arthur and Reg to the brilliance of the playful use of language used by the portmanteau-speaking Tree Dragons who, I know, are nasty, BUT, come-on, they use words like ‘terrofear’, ‘comprestand’ and ‘manumans’ and I just LOVE them!  Not sure what that says about me, but I’m going to have a funtastic time playing with these in class!

Dirk and Holly have formed a heart-warming friendship where they look out for, and care about, each other.  They are both incredibly likeable characters.  Dirk is quick-witted, clever and tenacious.  I love the idea of a dragon living in London, blending into his surroundings, hidden from unsuspecting humans. He is prepared to break the rules over dragons associating with humans, even though being found out would have dire consequences for him.  Holly is gutsy, determined and astute and not averse to a little stealing, lying and manipulation of her own all in a good cause of course! Together, they make a formidable sleuthing partnership.

Dragon Detective:  School’s Out is a fun-filled, magical, action-packed adventure with a perfect sprinkling of danger, just fantabulous for young fans of mystery and dragons. 

Thank you to Charlie and Little Tiger for an early review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m just about to start A Girl Called Justice: The Smugglers’ Secret. Definitely looking forward to it as I loved the first book in the series. I’ve also been listening to Howl’s Moving Castle on Borrowbox, and have almost finished. It keeps me company on my drive to and from school, and I’m really enjoying it.

This week I’ve read four books. I read the first of my books for the #20BooksofSummer2020 challenge, The Princess who Flew with Dragons. This follows Princess Sofia as she goes on a diplomatic mission for Drachenheim where she finds herself on a mission to save her sister and best friend – who happens to be a dragon! I will post my review soon. I then read Irish Fairy Tales Myths and Legends which I absolutely loved. This collection of stories is brilliantly re-told and includes many of my favourite Irish stories such as The Children of Lir, The Twelve Wild Geese and The Giant’s Causeway . This was a really nostalgic read, and something I really needed to read. I also read Freedom which tells the story of Nat, a young slave, who is brought with his owners to England where he assumes he will be free. This is a short story, but it really hits hard. It is a gripping, fast-paced story which is an incredibly powerful and heart-breaking read. This is one I intend to add to our Year 6 Reading curriculum. Finally, on Empathy Day, I read A Kind of Spark which is such a powerful story which I really couldn’t put down. There was definitely tears. Addie is the most inspirational young autistic girl who is determined to fight for a memorial to commemorate the women who were killed as witches in her town.

I intend to read The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone which will be the second book from my #20BooksofSummer2020 challenge.

I read the brilliant The Wind Reader late last year where Jarka is first introduced, and I would highly recommend that you read it, although The Wysman, which follows after the events in the first story, can be read as a standalone.  This is a gripping Young Adult fantasy story, brimming with danger, magic and intrigue, set in a richly imagined world, with a superb cast of characters.

Jarka, a former street child, has been taken into the royal household after he demonstrates that he has the gift of wind-reading:  an ability to see visions of future events.  He has become an apprentice Wysman to Adrya who counsels the King. 

When Rena and Laren, two young street children, who Jarka has brought to the refuge which has given them safe haven, run away from it, they point to their fear of the sinister Grabber who steals children away.  Is the Grabber merely an ancient legend, or is this a real threat to the children of Rin City?

When six-year-old Rena is found unconscious, Jarka’s worst nightmares are realised.  Determined to save her, Jarka embarks on a quest to discover the perpetrator … a quest which weaves an intriguing path from political machinations to the harnessing of deadly elemental magic.  The path which Jarka must follow it not an easy one as it sees him face great loss, danger and sacrifice.  It is a path which leads to the revelation of long-buried secrets, and to the uncovering of great wrong-doing which threatens to destroy everything Jarka holds dear …

Jarka is an incredibly sympathetic character.  Born with a crooked foot, seen as payment for the gift of wind-reading, he has lived on the streets as his home was not a safe place for him.  Even though he has gained the favour of Prince Beran, his life in the Castle is far from easy.  He faces prejudice and jealousy from others which leads to emotional and physical pain.  Jarka empathises with street kids and cares about them, encouraging his friend, Lady Lineth, to establish a refuge.  He is kind-hearted, loyal and protective of his friends, with a keen sense of justice, even when this may lead to the loss of his dreams. 

The Wysman is an incredibly enjoyable story with a fast-paced and intriguing plot which is a wholly satisfying read.

Thank you to the Laura at Inspired Quill, for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my new weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!

How to take part:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favourite sentence. 
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

This week, I’m celebrating …

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

Sometimes I wondered if teachers didn’t just make stuff up.

This book in three words:

FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, TRUST

This is an incredible story which absolutely GRIPPED me from start to finish. It is set in a dystopian society where children are treated differently according to their birth position.

Maggie, a middle child, lives inside the Town boundary with her mother, father, eldest brother Jed and younger brother Trig. Being a Middler means that she struggles to have her voice heard and her talents recognised, but Maggie is determined to be heard and, one day, the perfect opportunity arises …

After a visit to the boundary between the Town and the outside world, she finds herself coming to the attention of a wanderer, Una. Maggie has been brought up to believe that wanderers are ‘dirty, dangerous and deceitful’. Maggie wants to be noticed and, when the opportunity arises, she takes her chance … she decides that she can win recognition by trapping Una and her father and giving them to the town leader.

However, Maggie finds herself developing a tentative friendship with Una, something she has been missing in her life … Can this fledgling friendship overcome the deep-rooted mistrust of the wanderers that has been instilled in Maggie, or will betrayal be inevitable?

I cannot recommend this story highly enough – a must-have for any school library!

You can read more about this gripping story in my review:

I’d love if anyone who wants to give this meme a go would comment in the comments box and include a link to your post so I can visit, comment and find some great middle-grade recommendations. If you do create a post and are on Twitter, and would like to share your post, please use the hashtag  #MGTakesOnThursday so I can find it, read it and share it!

I’m listening to Howl’s Moving Castle on audio which I reserved through Borrowbox. I’m really enjoying it so far, and just cannot believe I haven’t read it before now. I’m taking part in the #20BooksofSummer20 again this year. I’m just about to start my first book for this challenge, The Princess Who Flew with Dragons. I loved the first two books in the series, and am really looking forward to this one.

I’ve finished reading Dragon Detective: School’s Out this week, and absolutely loved it! I can really see lots of children in my class loving this, and think it would make a great read-aloud story. I’ll post my review at the start of next week. I’ve also finished The Wysman which is a young adult fantasy with plenty of intrigue, and a really engaging plot. It’s being published at the end of June so will post my review in the next couple of weeks. I’ve also read The Ice Garden which is a gorgeous story: heart-breaking and hopeful. Jess, a young girl who is allergic to the sun, finds a magical ice garden and makes a new friend, a friend who is prepared to make a great sacrifice for her. Jess spends a lot of time at the hospital where she meets a young boy in a comma who she reads her stories to. Jess is such a strong and courageous character who, despite her own situation and her understandable anger, proves herself to be a loyal friend. I adored the ending, which pulled the threads of this story together beautifully.

I’m hoping to read another book from my #20BooksofSummer20 next.: A Girl Called Justice: The Smugglers’ Secret. I loved the first book in this series and bought this one as soon as it was published. I’m looking forward to another murder mystery with Justice Jones.

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

It’s that time of year again when I try to reduce my huge TBR! I took part in the 20 Books of Summer for the first time last year, and managed to read 15 books but only review 13 of them! I was ‘hindered’ by a holiday in Florida last year which will not be happening this year, so I’m hoping to be a little more successful. #20BooksOfSummer20 is an annual event hosted by Cathy at 746 Books, and this year runs from Monday 1 June until Tuesday 1 September. I’m very excited to get started on this challenge!

My 20 books are, in no particular order:

It was such fun looking through all the fantastic books on my TBR, and deciding on the 20 for his challenge. Thank you to Cathy for organising it!

This is my new weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!

How to take part:

• Post a picture of the front cover of a middle-grade book which you have read and would recommend to others with details of the author, illustrator and publisher.
• Open the book to page 11 and share your favourite sentence. 
• Write three words to describe the book.
• Either share why you would recommend this book, or link to your review.

This week, I’m celebrating …

Favourite Sentence from Page 11:

Even the lowliest scullery maid was in bed at this hour, but he knew the rotten housekeeper, Mrs Smart, might still be waiting for him so he had to be careful.

This book in three words:

FRIENDSHIP, DARKNESS, MYSTERY

I was absolutely mesmerised by this gripping mystery, brimming with peril, eeriness and spine-tingling darkness, but also with friendship, warmth and hope.  This is a book I will be buying multiple copies of for our library as I know it will appeal to so many children.

I love everything about this story: the Victorian setting with its fascination with mediums; the sinister villain Madame Pinchbeck who is genuinely creepy; the dark magic which traps the children; the fairy tale element; and, the friendship between the three children and their determination to thwart their captor.

This is a story that will take you on an enthralling and sinister adventure, revealing secrets, twists and shocks galore along the way.  I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

You can read more about this wonderful story in my review: 

I’d love if anyone who wants to give this meme a go would comment in the comments box and include a link to your post so I can visit, comment and find some great middle-grade recommendations. If you do create a post and are on Twitter, and would like to share your post, please use the hashtag  #MGTakesOnThursday so I can find it, read it and share it!

I’m just about to start reading Dragon Detective School’s Out by Gareth P Jones which I’m hoping will be a fun and humorous mystery!

I’ve read three books this week. Toto The Wizard of Oz as told by the dog is a fun re-telling of this classic story, told from Toto’s viewpoint. Toto is back in Kansas and now has puppies, and he tells his story to these puppies. Reading this gave me a real feeling of nostalgia as, although I haven’t read the original story, I have watched the film with Judy Garland many times. The illustrations by Emma Chichester Clark are gorgeous. I then another story by Michael Morpurgo, Boy Giant Son of Gulliver. This is a classic children’s story which I read many years ago, although I also studied it for my English Literature degree when I discovered it was never meant to be a children’s story. I really enjoyed Boy Giant which tells the story of a boy fleeing war-torn Afghanistan. His father is killed and he is separated from his mother and sister as he flees on a boat to England. The boat sinks, and he wakes up in Lilliput where the inhabitants have known Gulliver and assume he is his son. This is a wonderful story of kindness, acceptance and overcoming barriers to unite people. It has gorgeously heart-warming ending. I also read The Midnight Guardians (via NetGalley) which was a truly magical read set during the Blitz. I adored the three Guardians and their special friendship with Col as they undertake an incredible quest to save Col’s sister whilst fighting against the dark powers of the Midwinter King.

I read The Wind Reader by Dorothy A Winsor last year, and I really enjoyed it, so when the publisher asked if I’d be interesting in this one, I was excited to read it. It is published on 27th June.

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

This is a weekly meme now hosted by That Artsy Girl Reader.  This week’s theme is Opening Lines. I’ve decided to share the opening lines from the last five physical books I bought, and from the last 5 e-books I bought on my Kindle.

Opening lines from last 5 physical books I bought:

A Girl Called Justice: The Smugglers’ Secret by Elly Griffiths

The dark shape of Highbury House was getting closer and closer. Justice told herself that she knew the place now – its turrets and spooky ramparts no longer had the power to scare her.

The Fog Diver by Joel Ross

My name is Chess, and I was born inside a cage. Imagine a wooden platform jutting from a mountain cliff. Now picture a chain falling from the platform and vanishing into the Fog, a deadly white mist that covers the entire Earth.

Where the Wilderness Lives by Jess Butterworth

The day we find the safe is a special day. The canal trust has drained a section of the canal for the first time in twenty years, revealing all sorts of treasure stuck under the water.

Strange Star by Emma Carroll

It was Felix’s job to deliver the invitation. On such a sparkling, sunny morning after weeks of cold rain he was glad to be outside, stretching his legs. Not that he had far to go – Mr and Mrs Shelley’s villa was just a short walk through the apple orchard.

Storm by Nicola Skinner

When you’re born, you’re a baby. That’s something we can all agree on. But you’re not just a baby. No. You’re a story. A beautiful, bouncing, gurgling story. A tale to be treasured.

Opening lines from last 5 e-books I bought:

A Place Called Perfect by Helen Duggan

He waited. Hidden by dusk and the garden bushes against the bark of an oak tree. Watching. The spot gave him full view of the house and gravel driveway. Worrying about being seen felt weird.

The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge

It was my dad who gave me the idea of using quantum physics to find my mum. She died two weeks ago.

The Last Chance Hotel by Nicki Thornton

In the kitchen of the Last Chance Hotel the loudest sound you were usually likely to hear was the gentle bubble of a lone egg coming to the boil. But today, the air was alive with yells from Henri Mould, the balding head chef, bent double with old age, barking out orders as he hobbled around the kitchen.

Thorn by Intisar Khanani

“Try not to embarrass us,” my brother says. “If you can.” I look out at the empty courtyard and pretend not to notice Lord Daerilin smirking to my left.

The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth by Julia Lee

Clemency Wrigglesworth stood at the foot of the gangway and stared up at the big white ship. England – it was taking her to England. At least she hoped it was, if they would let her on board.

Have you read any of these? Would the opening lines make you pick up the book?

This is an absolute marvel of a story which completely and utterly engrossed me: I absolutely could not put it down, and read it in one sitting, as I was so invested in both the characters and the plot.

The Middler is set in a dystopian near-future society where people are treated in different ways based on their familial position. The Eldest in a family hold a privileged position: they are listened to, respected, and get rewarded for their position in the family rather than on merit.  BUT, when they turn fourteen, they are sent off to Camp to train to take part in the Quiet War, fighting to keep society protected.

Maggie, a middle child, lives inside the Town boundary with her mother, father, eldest brother Jed and younger brother Trig. Being a middler means that she struggles to have her voice heard and her talents recognised, and is allocated many of the household chores.

After a visit to the boundary between the Town and the outside world, she finds herself coming to the attention of a wanderer, Una. Maggie has been brought up to believe that wanderers are ‘dirty, dangerous and deceitful’. Maggie wants to be noticed and, when the opportunity arises, she takes her chance … she decides that she can win recognition by trapping Una and her father and giving them to the town leader, Mayor Anderson. However, Maggie finds herself developing a friendship with Una, something she has been missing in her life …

I loved the portrayal of the friendship between Maggie and Una, from its tentative roots to a deeper building of trust. Can this fledgling friendship overcome the deep-rooted mistrust of the wanderers that has been instilled in Maggie, or will betrayal be inevitable?

As Maggie discovers more about the wanderers, she comes to question how her own society is run.  The revelations are perfectly timed as the action becomes more and more intense and the danger increases.  This tension is so brilliantly handled – taking place over 10 days – that I could not stop reading as I had to know what happened next and where the plot was leading me. 

As well as being is a superbly engrossing story, The Middler, raises opportunities for deep discussion around societal issues including misinformation, abuse of power, corruption and personal choice/morality.  I cannot recommend this story highly enough, and will definitely be adding it to my school library.