This is my first time to take part in #SixforSunday hosted by A Little But a Lot.  This one grabbed my attention as my TBR is getting ridiculous due to the enormity of fantastic books being published, making it incredibly difficult to choose which book to read next. 

I have every intention of reading all the books I have bought, but I also know I will keep adding to it as more and more books I MUST read are being published! 

I have just finished reading The Umbrella Mouse by Anna Fargher which I absolutely adored and will be reviewing soon.  My next read is The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave which I’ve been given through NetGalley.  This is one I want to savour!

I’ve chosen my #SixforSunday from my current TBR, which are sitting on my bookshelf, ready for me to read before putting them in my class library.  I intend to read these six over half term.

Here goes:

We Won an Island by Charlotte Lo:  I attended Charlotte’s Book launch in Waterstones, Reading yesterday.  She talked about her inspiration for the book and also did a reading.  I’m really looking forward to this one as I’ve heard such good reviews – and it sounds like the perfect summery read.  I’m also lucky enough to have Charlotte coming in to my school to work with my class, which I’m very excited about!

The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum:  I’ve had this one for a while:  again, I’ve read many great reviews, so am looking forward to reading, and reviewing it, myself.

Malamander by Thomas Taylor: I bought this one in Waterstones with the gorgeous edging.  I can’t wait to uncover the secret of the malamander! 

The Maker of Monsters by Lorraine Gregory:  I had just finished reading another book about monsters, The Monster Who Wasn’t, when I saw Lorraine Gregory doing a fantastic reading of her new book through Twitter.  She totally persuaded me to buy this one!

WildSpark by Vashti Hardy:  I absolutely loved Brightstorm, and couldn’t wait to get this one.  I just can’t believe it’s taken me so long to read it.  I’m so looking forward to visiting Medlock over half term.

The Lost Tide Warrors by Catherine Doyle:  The Storm Keeper’s Island was one of my favourite books of last year, so was very much looking forward to this one.  I ordered it from Scholastic and was really pleased they sent it out before the official publication date. 

Has anyone already read any of these?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on books from this list you have read, or which are on your TBR!

It’s been a while – a long while- since I’ve read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but I still have fond memories of the madcap characters and quirkiness of the world created by Carroll.  And I guess these eleven authors do too!  For me, this fabulously written anthology takes me on a trip down memory lane, a nostalgic return to my childhood, but I think it will also be enjoyed as an anthology of incredibly imaginative stories by younger readers in its own right, and perhaps encourage them to explore Wonderland for the first time. 

I have read and enjoyed books by many of these authors and could definitely see how they bring their own style when re-imagining their favourite experiences/characters from Wonderland.   Each of these stories has perfectly captured the surrealistic eccentricity of Wonderland; the creativity each writer brought to their story leaps off the pages.  I also really liked how each author introduced their story with their own recollections of how they were influenced by Carroll’s story which was a perfect lead-in to each story.

These stories encourage the reader to tumble down the rabbit hole and wander into the curious world of Wonderland to encounter some of the most glorious, and most peculiar, characters:  the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, the Mock Turtle, the Cheshire Cat and the Knave of Hearts to name but a few, with Alice wandering through many of the stories. 

I loved how the stories paid homage to many of the more famous elements of  Wonderland such as the Queen of Heart’s obsession with croquet, the Mad Hatter’s tea party and the wisdom of the Caterpillar whilst exploring the untold stories, the ‘what happened next?’ and the ‘what ifs?’ of some of the most memorable characters.

Each and every one of these stories is a real delight!  This will be a collection of stories which will be treasured by both old, and new, fans of Wonderland.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an e-ARC of this book.

The Rise of Winter engrossed me from the first page.  It has a heartfelt environmental message about the need to re-balance the destruction caused to the Earth by humans, told through the story of Winter and the Guardians of Terra: Earth.

Winter is being bullied at school when she is saved, in a most amusing manner, by a sparrow.  She soon learns that she can understand animals when she meets Proctin, a raccoon, who lives under her house:  he is an incredibly loveable character with some great comic moments. 

When she comes under attack, she escapes to The Cove with the aide of Vulpeera, one of the Guardians who becomes her constant companion and mentor.  Winter learns of her family history and that she has been chosen to become not only a Guardian, but the Terra Protectorum – Earth’s protector.  And so begins her training … and the discovery of her incredible powers … and enemies galore!  

This powerful story is full of action-packed escapes, tense journeys, betrayal, and believable enemies who exude a real sense of threat throughout which really helps build some incredibly tense moments.  Winter has an amazing journey of self-discovery which sees her grow into a strong leader who learns the power of self-belief, forgiveness, friendship and, ultimately, develops the strength needed to be a protector.

A perfect read for children of 8+.

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for an e-ARC.

This is such a special book:  a truly mesmerising read!  I utterly adored everything about it:  the superb world-building, the colourful characters, the fast-paced action and the warm humour.

Willow Moss is born into a family of witches, but does not have any of their exciting powers.  Finding lost things does not seem a very important magical trait until a whole day – Tuesday to be precise – goes missing, and the most powerful, feared and revered witch in Starfell comes asking for help!

How can Willow refuse? Whilst on the outside she is sensible, deep down she craves an exciting adventure.  And an adventure she must have to save the world.  Of course, she needs to take her only friend to help:  the monster under the bed, Oswin.  Oh my goodness:  Oswin!  He is just brilliant – grumpy, easily offended, unwittingly hilarious… and did I mention? – absolutely adorable! 

Will Willow be able to find the Lost Day?  Who is responsible for taking it?  Will the magic-loathing Brothers of Wol thwart her mission?  To find the answers, the reader must journey with Willow and her companions on their incredible action-packed adventure through Starfell which crackles with action and sparkles with humour.  What’s not to love about engine-powered brooms, a portal cloak, cloud mountains, tree houses and lost spells!  The landscape of Starfell is vividly detailed and wonderfully imaginative, each part having its own unique character and inhabitants, from the broom-making part-elves of Radditch to the forbidden City of Beady Hill to the trolls of Troll Country.

Willow is just perfect!  She is kind-hearted, helpful, brave and adventurous.  She does not need her magical power to find some truly wonderful companions along her way including the kind-hearted cloud dragon, Feathering; the eccentric visionary, Nolin Sometimes; and, Calamity the sensitive hygiene-conscious troll.

There are some powerful messages in this story about discrimination, segregation and misuse of power, encased in a delightfully enchanting story full of friendship, determination and the power of good.  

This is a perfect read for children of 8+ who I’m sure will adore the magical world of Starfell and its inhabitants.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children’s Books for an e-ARC. I have also bought a copy for my class library!

This was a fantastically enjoyable read. Storm of Odin is such an endearing character. He refuses to accept that he is a puppy when he falls to Earth, and continues to act as if he is all powerful. This leads to some perfect comedy moments.

He is adopted from a Rescue Home by Jessie, who has just moved to Wales, and is dealing with some difficult adjustments to her new life: Storm is just what she needs to help her settle in her new home.

Mix together three magicians disguised as Professors; a Not-Boy and his ‘aunt’; a dog’s new best friend in the form of a cat called Nutmeg; and, some rather hilarious sheep, and you have the perfect recipe for a fun-filled, laugh-out-loud, magical adventure.

Wow! This is such a powerful story, told through the eyes of two brave girls, Semira and Hen. Semira is a refugee, living in London, who feels trapped, helpless and alone. When buying an old hat, she finds ‘The Feather Diaries’, the diary of a young Victorian girl. Her incredible connection to Hen becomes the catalyst for the changes that Semira is brave, and strong, enough to make in her own life.

Hen is surrounded by some remarkable woman, especially her Aunt Kitty, who is brave, fierce and determined enough to go against the norms of society. Her story is both heart-breaking and uplifting, and, I must admit, led to that ‘lump in throat, eye-watering’ moment when I know the story has ‘got’ me.

As Semira develops her friendship with Hen, so too she bonds with Patrick, Chloe and Holly, who all take her under their wings, although, in the end, it is Semira who frees them. There are lot of powerful messages in this story: having the courage to stand up for, and to, others; the choice to make a positive difference to the lives of others; and, the pivotal importance of dreams, living life and not being trapped by it.

The birds are a metaphor for the journey for both girls of entrapment to freedom. In their shared love of cycling, they experience ‘The Closest Thing to Flying’, both finding their inner strength and escaping their respective ‘cages’. This book really was an emotional rollercoaster, but one I felt very privileged to ride.

This is not your typical book about unicorns! Guardians of the Wild Unicorns is a fast-paced adventure set in the beautifully evoked landscape of the Scottish Highlands, where the last herd of wild unicorns has been captured.

Rhona and Lewis are on a school residential: one is in her element whilst the other would rather be at home. All that changes when Lewis makes a promise to one of the unicorns, a promise he is determined to keep. The affinity between the unicorns and the children, and their desire to protect them, resonates throughout the story.

This bond leads to the children being able to overcome their fears, and show determination and courage in the face of some very real threats from Ailsa, the laird’s daughter.

I loved the author’s portrayal of the unicorns as endangered animals: fearful, yet proud and fierce, and ever hopeful of their freedom.

There were so many elements I loved about this story: the authenticity of Lewis and Rhona’s friendship; a refreshingly different portrayal of unicorns with a modern twist; the representation of the Scottish Highlands; and, as I am a teacher, the depiction of the joys of a school residential!

I would highly recommend it to children of 8+

This was an absolutely exquisite read, full of adventure, incredibly likeable characters and heart-warming messages.  And chocolate – lots of chocolate!

The aptly named Aventurine feels trapped by her rather too perfect and cautious dragon family, and craves nothing more than to be allowed to go on an adventure outside of the family cavern.  Ignoring family advice, she wanders outside, ready to hunt.  It is rather unfortunate for her that the first human she finds is a food mage, who entices her to drink some hot chocolate … and her life changes forever!

On the plus side, she has found her passion:  chocolate!  But, she has been transformed into a ‘puny’ girl.  Luckily, she is still a fierce, powerful dragon on the inside.  There are lots of humorous encounters and observations as Aventurine tries to fit into her human skin, and get to know the human world.  She is one feisty and determined girl, and refuses to give up on landing her dream job:  apprentice chocolatier. 

Whilst resolutely pursuing her dream, she meets Silke who becomes the friend she never knew she needed.  Silke is a fantastically clever, gregarious and resourceful girl, who suspects that her new friend may not be all she appears.  Their friendship blossoms into one of trust, playfulness, warmth and loyalty which I found wonderfully heart-warming. 

Of course, just when Aventurine finally fulfils her dream, trouble arrives in unexpected ways.  Can she protect her new ‘hoard’?  Will she have the courage and self-belief needed to unite age-old enemies?

There are many, many qualities I absolutely adored in Aventurine:

• she is feisty, quick-witted and brave, despite her hidden pain at the loss of her dragon family;
• she remains true to herself (“some things were more important than fitting in.”);
• she learns to build genuine friendships, despite her deep-rooted mistrust of humans;
• she follows her passion, no matter the obstacles in her way, and finds the inner strength to be whatever she wants to be; and,
• she defends the people she cares about with a strength and loyalty befitting a dragon.

The action is fast-paced, the events flow skilfully, and the character interactions are incredibly engaging, all helping to create a wonderfully enchanting story, with an ending that left me feeling as warm and cosy as if I’d drunk a glass of chilli-flavoured hot chocolate.

This book is full of magical chocolatey adventure for readers of 7+!