I am a primary school teacher who is a voracious reader. I love reading children's books, talking to them about books, engaging them in reading for pleasure and recommending books to them.
I haven’t actually started this yet, but I will be later this evening!
I’ve finished listening to the audiobook of Cream Buns and Crime which I really enjoyed. I especially enjoyed the case files written by different members of the Detective Society and the Junior Pinkertons. It definitely makes me want to listen to the next one in this series. I finished The Shadows of Rookhaven which I absolutely loved. It was wonderful being back with the Rookhaven Family and meeting Billy Catchpole. I will post my review this week. I then decided I would read a book which I had on NetGalley, Locked Out Lily and I’m so glad I read it at the weekend. It is a wonderful story of a young girl coming to accept her illness, and coming to terms with change. Definitely had magical realism vibes, and I loved the writing style.
I’m hoping to read Hag Storm next, and to listen to Gullstruck Island.
Written by Rachel Pierce with a foreword by Dara Ó Briain Cover Illustration by Conor Nolan Published by Scholastic on 2nd September
First, confession time: I’m very proudly Irish and grew up on an isolated farm just over the Irish border in rural County Donegal. I grew up listening to and reading Irish myths and legends, spending my days outside exploring the mountains and boglands, and enjoying many a ceilidh. We have a lone hawthorn standing in the middle of one of our fields which my father would never allow to be cut down as he thought it belonged to the Sidhe or fairies, and it would bring bad luck if it was cut down. It still stands today.
The fairy tree on my home farm
I was, therefore, very excited to be sent a copy of Ireland: The People, the Places, the Stories. This is a beautifully illustrated hardback written by Rachel Pierce with a playful foreword by wonderfully witty Irish comedian, Dara Ó Briain which celebrates what makes the Emerald Isle such a special place.
The introduction gives a flavour of what to expect from the rest of the book: fascinating facts, gorgeous illustrations, and an incredibly engaging writing style that immediately whets your appetite for finding out more …
Each of the ten main chapters is introduced by a fully illustrated page which, with my teacher’s hat on, would be great for inference and prediction work. Each chapter page is then followed by a detailed map with images and facts. I loved poring over these maps, and I can definitely see them capturing children’s attention, and drawing them into finding out more from the main chapters. If there’s one thing I know about the Irish is that we love to spin a yarn and, oh my goodness, these maps lend themselves to a tale or two …
Illustration by Lydia Hughes
Each of the chapters focusses on an aspect of Ireland’s varied and rich culture, history, landscape and people: The Island of Ireland, Early Ireland, Warring Ireland, Haunted Ireland, Magical Ireland, The Living Landscape, The Human Landscape, Underground Ireland, The Culture of Ireland and Fun Things to Do in Ireland.
I can, hand on heart, say that I was completely, utterly and entirely immersed in, and fascinated by, this amazing book which offers a wealth of knowledge, sure to appeal to younger and older readers alike.
I’m going to include a brief synopsis of each chapter with my favourite fact taken directly from each:
1. The Island of Ireland: this chapter includes information about Ireland’s geology; lighthouses; offshore islands; and, smugglers, pirates and shipwrecks.
My favourite fact: The strangest lighthouse must be the Spire of Lloyd in Kells, County Meath. It looks like a lighthouse and is tall and sturdy with a glazed lantern, but it’s nowhere near the sea.
2. Early Ireland: this chapter focusses on the early human history of Ireland including sections on hunting and gathering; the Céide fields, thought to be the oldest field systems in the world; burials; hill forts; and, bog bodies.
My favourite fact: Newgrange [tomb] itself is aligned with the rising sun at the winter solstice (21 December), which is the shortest day of the year.
3. Warring Ireland: this chapter includes details of Ireland’s war-filled history including: feature of castles; invaders; famous castles; and famous battles.
My favourite fact: A truly chilling feature of some castles was an oubliette, a ‘forgotten place’. This was a dungeon room that had one way in and no way out.
4. Haunted Ireland: this section focusses on the Otherworld and its beings; superstitions; Samhain night; and, famous haunted castles.
My favourite fact: In later times, people made turnip lanterns – terrifying faces carved into a hollowed-out turnip, which was then lit from inside with a lump of coal or a candle.
5. Magical Ireland: this chapter includes details of Ireland’s supernatural beliefs; seasonal festivals; fairy changelings; and, magical figures and sites.
My favourite fact: Station Island in Lough Derg is an ancient site of Christian pilgrimage, said to be an entrance to purgatory. This gateway was closed by Papal Order in 1632 and remains firmly shut and locked to this day, …
6. The Living Landscape: this section includes sections on Ireland’s trees; flora and fauna; weather; volcanoes; and, sinkholes.
My favourite fact: The si gaoithe, of ‘fairy wind’, is a mini whirlwind that whips up suddenly causing mayhem for the minutes it lasts.
7. The Human Landscape: this chapter focusses on Ireland’s human-built landscape including possibly Ireland’s earliest built landscape in Mount Sandel; the use of lime kilns; cooking pits; the Poulaphuca Resevoir; Kylemore Abbey; canals; and, Eire signs.
My favourite fact: On some high points of the Irish coastline are huge letters, made of white-washed rocks, spelling ‘EIRE’, the Irish name for Ireland. These rock markers date back to the Second World War …
8. Underground Ireland: this section gives details of what lies beneath Ireland’s landscape including: caves; souterrains; tunnels; buried bodies; and, buried treasure.
My favourite fact: The most exciting finds at Aillwee were the bones of two brown bears, which have been dated to 10,000 years ago.
9. The Culture of Ireland: this chapter shares a little of what it means to be Irish from the tradition and superstition to the language and place names to sport, music and dance.
My favourite fact: There are also lost languages. In medieval Wexford there was a dialect called Yola that has since been lost.
10. Fun Things to do in Ireland: this final chapter directs the reader to a selection of things to see and do in Ireland such as visiting Tayto Park theme park and zoo. When I go home to Ireland, I always indulge in Irish-bought Tayto cheese & onion crisps which are my favourite crisps ever and not to be mixed with Tayto crisps bought elsewhere! Some wonderful historical sites are also recommended such as Kylemore Abbey and Gardens. I have visited this wonderful site in County Galway and can definitely recommend a visit. Ireland really does have some spectacular places to visit and some of my favourites are mentioned here, including the North Antrim Coast, the Slieve League cliffs in my home county of Donegal, and Glenariff Forest Park in County Antrim with its spectacular waterfalls.
Each of the first nine chapters ends with a ‘Would you Believe it?’ section which is a cornucopia of fascinating, intriguing and entertaining facts that engrossed me completely.
I can’t finish my review without mentioning the brilliant illustrations which complement the beauty and charm of this book perfectly. Each of the ten chapters is illustrated by an Irish illustrator: Linda Fahrlin, Diarmuid Ó Catháin, Alan Dunne, Lydia Hughes, Brian Fitzgerald, Ashling Lindsay, Graham Corcoran, Jennifer Farley, Conor Nolan, Donough O’Malley.
Illustration by Brian Fitzgerald
This is a book that should be in every library to introduce children to this stunning country in the most wonderful way. I can’t wait to share it with my class as I have no doubt they will be just as captivated by its words, illustrations and style as I am.
Thank you to Harriet Dunlea and Scholastic for my copy.
This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books, now with a re-vamped banner!
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 …
Written by Christopher Edge Cover Illustration by Matt Saunders Published by Nosy Crow
Favourite Sentence from Page 11:
In it [Scouting for Boys], there’s this story about how some soldiers left secret messages near landmarks like trees to keep them hidden from the enemy.
This book in three words:
MYSTERY, SPINE-TINGLING, TIME
I’ve started seeing proofs arrive for the next Christopher Edge book, Escape Room, on Twitter, and it made me think about what a fantastic writer he is. The first book I read by him was The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day which absolutely blew me away. However, the book I am recommending today is The Longest Night of Charlie Noon. There is so much packed into a short story.
MY REVIEW
If you are brave enough to enter these woods … you will be utterly mesmerised as you are taken on the most intriguing journey full of twists, puzzles and incredible mind-blowing discoveries! This is a book that is perfect for a one-sitting read and epitomises the phrase ‘page-turner’.
With two references to time in the title, I feel the story offers a fascinating exploration of concepts in time which made me think of the Mobius Time Loop. When and where in time are the three children? There is so much to explore, but I don’t want to give anything away – suffice to say, nothing is ever as it seems!
One afternoon, three children get lost in the woods … and find a seemingly endless night! Johnny is the bully; Charlie is the new kid in town; and Dizzy, a polio survivor, is Charlie’s only friend.
Curiosity leads two of the friends into the woods … and Johnny follows. Dizzy has seen sticks arranged into a secret code the previous day and wants his friend to help solve the mystery! Johnny tells them Old Crony lives in the woods and he is someone to be feared. The children’s heightened anticipation of Old Crony, together with the inspired use of sights and sounds, creates a real sense of foreboding with palpable fear building, leading to frantic and desperate actions as the children try desperately to run from their fear and their fate …
I found the woods both horrifying and fascinating, almost like a living entity, driven with an inexorable purpose for the children, a purpose that once realised left me stunned and in awe of the story-telling.
Incredible heart-stopping moments, spine-tingling twists, and seeming impossibilities made me desperate to keep reading. For me, the use of cliff hangers at the end of most of the chapters makes it the perfect classroom read!
This is a perfect spine-tingler of a story which took me on the most incredible journey of exploration and discovery!
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!
It’s been a while since I read Mistletoe and Murder so though I’d listen to Cream Buns and Crime which is a collection of mini-mysteries which I’m really enjoying. I’ll definitely be picking up the next one. I’m also reading The Shadows of Rookhaven and, my goodness, is it good! The opening is amazing – so much tension and emotion. I can’t wait to see where this one goes.
I’ve finished The Book of Stolen Dreams which I really enjoyed. It is a powerful story of a City under the dictatorship of a paranoid, cruel President, Charles Malstain who is determined to get his hands on a special book, no matter the cost. It is up to two children, Robert and Rachel Klein to keep it out of his hands. I’ve posted my review for this one. I also listened to the audiobook of The Puffin Portal by the wonderful Vashti Hardy which was a brilliant story aimed at younger readers. Grace is now helping her mother and brother in dealing with crime across Moreland. Grace finds herself investigating a series of petty thefts and makes an incredible discovery. This is a wonderful story of family, friendship and kindness. I also read Skeleton Keys: The Wild Imaginings of Stanley Strange which is the fifth book in the Skeleton Keys series. I absolutely adore ‘Ol Skeleton Keys, but I think Daisy is my favourite character. Talk about speaking your mind, insulting others, but deep, deep down she has a heart of gold! I’ll be writing my review for this one this weekend.
I’m hoping to read Hag Storm and The Burglar’s Ball next. They’re both being published towards the end of October.
The Book of Stolen Dreams is an exceptionally powerful fantasy adventure that immediately drew me into the magic of the story with the intriguing introduction, and kept me gripped throughout. A story of love, courage and sacrifice in the face of hatred, cruelty and fear: a story that reverberates the past and the present with the hope of a better future.
The story opens with twelve-year-old Rachel Klein escaping from the City of Brava in Krasnia, under the despotic rule of tyrant, President Charles Malstain, whose paranoia and hunger for absolute control has dulled a once vibrant City. She is travelling by airship to Port Clement to find her brother, Robert. She is alone: her mother is dead and her father is in prison. She is on a mission, but so is the person who befriends her …
What an intriguing start to this incredible adventure! I was completely captured as I devoured the details that led to Rachel’s escape from Brava, as I learned more about the cruel rule of Malstain and as I learned about a magical Book at the centre of the story, The Book of Stolen Dreams.
On Rachel’s eleventh birthday, she and her brother are taken to the North Brava Public Lending Library by their librarian father who entrusts them with the Book, a theft that leads to his imprisonment and separation from his children. A year later, Rachel and Robert find themselves alone, waiting to be taken to an orphanage, but they open the Book and their lives change forever …
Let the true dreamer awake …
Can they uncover the secrets hidden within the Book? Will they be able to find the missing page that will allow them to reveal the magic of the Book? But, most important of all, will they be able to stop the Book falling into the hands of Malstain who will stop at nothing to possess its power?
This is an incredible, tense and exciting adventure, intricate and powerful, that kept me on the edge of my seat, utterly enthralled, as I followed both children’s journeys, through a parallel narrative, as they are relentlessly hunted by Malstain, desperately hoping that they will find each other before Malstain finds them.
Robert and Rachel are incredibly strong, determined and courageous children. Born during a cruel dictatorship, and living in fear, their father shows them what it is to dream, to love, to play and to imagine. They must learn who to trust, what to reveal and how to make sacrifices. Rachel, in particular, has a strength of character that engenders trust, kindness and loyalty in others. Both are determined to see a new Krasnia, free of the chains thrown around it by Malstain, and take perilous risks in the hope of ensuring that freedom.
This is a scintillating adventure that swept me into a richly imagined world of daring and danger, a world of loss and hope, and a world of hatred and love. An unmissable, unforgettable adventure!
Thank you to Fritha Lindqvist and Usborne for a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Oh my goodness! Is September over yet? What a long, long month. I am back teaching Year 6 which I’m really loving, but Covid has certainly not gone away which just feels exhausting now! On a positive, I loved going on a residential with my class where I got to go kayaking for the first time ever and it was fantastic. Not so much not having a light in my room for the first two nights and then having a light that switched off after about 30 seconds!
Books I’ve read:
I’ve read 9 books this month, 6 physical copies, 1 e-book and 2 audiobooks.
NetGalley:
My Feedback Ratio is now at 96%. I have only requested one book in September, Fledgling, which is due for release at the start of November, but I do have two others still on my shelf as well.
Books sent:
I have been lucky enough to have been sent these books this month:
How has your month been?Have you read any of these?
I’m currently reading The Book of Stolen Dreams which I’m loving. Robert and Rachel Klein are determined to stop dictator Malstain from obtaining the Book for his own ends, and he is just as determined to find it! I can’t wait to be able to sit down for a longer period of time at the weekend to finish it.
I’ve finished listening to The Week at World’s End which was a brilliant, exciting read which I really enjoyed. I also read WishYouWas which is a gorgeously heart-warming adventure, a perfect read for the lead up to Christmas. Finally, I picked to the fourth book in the Skeleton Keys series, The Night of the Nobody which is just as deliciously fun as I remember the others to be. ‘Ol Skeleton Keys and Daisy are a fantastic double act!
My next audio book is The Puffin Portal which I’m really looking forward to starting tomorrow as I loved the first book, The Griffin Gate. I’ve also just been sent a copy of the fifth book in the Skeleton Keys series, and can’t wait to read it. Finally, I’m hoping to read The Shadows of Rookhaven which is one I’ve been eagerly anticipating as I loved The Monsters of Rookhaven.
Wishyouwas is an endearingly heart-warming, spellbinding adventure that completely enchanted me from start to finish: an absolute treat of a story, perfect to cuddle up with on a colder evening!
It’s December 1952, and 10-year-old Penny Black is staying with her postmaster Uncle Frank as her mother, who is an airmail pilot, is stuck in France due to the thick smog that is permeating London.
Feeling lonely and missing her Mum, Penny is writing a letter to her when she is disturbed by what she thinks is a rat entering the Post Office through its letterbox and, plucking up her courage, she follows it … and discovers, not a rat, but the most adorable tiny creature caught in a rat trap. Taking pity on the creature, she frees it, and he introduces himself as Wishyouwas, a Sorter, Second Class! He is part of a secret Bureau hidden in the underground tunnels who, unbeknownst to Royal Mail, help them with the delivery of undeliverable letters.
Her Uncle also notices that letters are going missing and believes that the culprits are rats. He calls in Royal Mail Rat Catcher, Stanley Scrawl who is determined to make an end to the rat problem, but rat traps can also catch other small creatures …
Penny soon follows Wishyouwas into the tunnels beneath the London streets, and finds herself on the adventure of her life as she discovers that the Sorters are in terrible danger. Will she be able to protect them and keep them safe from the sinister Rat Catcher who is sneaking closer and closer …
This is a brilliantly fast-paced, thrilling adventure with plenty of heart-racing action, twists and tense moments as danger unfolds and risks are taken, balanced perfectly with moments of heartfelt tenderness which made this an unputdownable read.
I loved the magical world created in this story, both the atmospheric cold, smog-enveloped London and the secret world of the Sorters in the tunnels beneath its streets where they make use of items discarded by humans such as shoe boxes, paper clips and food. They have their own social structure, rules and regimes which they adhere strictly to in order to carry out their self-appointed duty as Guardians of lost mail. I loved learning about the different roles of the Sorters, and meeting so many wonderful personalities. I especially liked Thiswayup. I also loved the character names with their reference to letters: Penny Black, Uncle Frank, Handlewithcare and Withlove to name a few.
I absolutely adored both Penny and Wishyouwas who form the most gorgeous bond of friendship and trust. They are kind, loyal and courageous, and are always there for each other, regardless of the risks and danger they find themselves in. I must admit I’d love to find a Wishyouwas whilst collecting my mail! He is absolutely adorable from his imperfectly perfect speech (I is NOT a rat!) to his kind heart. I also really enjoyed how the relationship between Penny and her Uncle Frank develops.
The cover illustrations by Penny Neville-Lee both on the proof copy I have and the final cover are stunning. This will be released as a hardback, and I can’t wait to get a copy so that I can see the interior illustrations before adding it to my class library.
This is a truly mesmerising, heartfelt story with a classic feel that is sure to be enjoyed time and time again by readers of 9 to 90+! Definitely one not to be missed!
Thank you to Beatrice May and Bloomsbury for a proof copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
There are LOTS of books due for release in October which I am really looking forward to reading. I’ve taken the synopsis for each of these books from the Waterstones website. Some of these are continuation of series I’ve loved; some are by authors whose previous books I’ve really enjoyed; and, others are by new-to-me or debut authors whose books have caught my interest!
Release Date: 7th October
I’ve absolutely loved following the adventures of Podkin and Uki, and can’t believe that this is the last one!
After capturing Charice, there is only one spirit left for Uki to find: Mortix, the most dangerous of all. With his friends Jori, Cole and Kree, Uki heads to Eisenfell – the greatest city in Hulstland – only to find that Mortix has taken control of Emperor Ash and is plotting to conquer the whole Five Realms with her terrifying army. Uki must dodge the Endwatch, the Shrikes, Clan Septys and the guards and find a way to complete his quest before all is lost.
I really enjoyed reading Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters which is a fast-paced, action-packed and humorous adventure with wonderful messages about the importance of friendship and family, so I’m definitely looking forward to her next adventure!
After facing down an evil hag, a thieving skele-crow and an army of the undead, ten-year-old Theodora Hendrix is certain she can handle anything – that is, until she meets the unpleasant Inspector Shelley and her even more unpleasant pet rat. Shelley and Ratsputin have come to spy on the MLM, and are determined to make trouble at every turn. Then Theodora makes a discovery of her own: a cursed beetle. She needs to destroy it without attracting the attention of the inspector – and fast. The stakes couldn’t be higher: if Theodora fails, her beloved monster family will rot in the dankest, darkest prisons of Transylvania…
I adored By Ash Oak and Thorn earlier this year which is the most delightful wander through, and celebration of nature and the environment, and the need to appreciate and look after it. It follows the adventures of three tiny, ancient beings – Moss, Burnet and Cumulus who have to leave their home in the ash tree when it is destroyed and travel to find others like them, taking them through the countryside and into the city.
As autumn arrives, Moss, Sorrel, Burnet and Dormer decide to return home to Ash Row to unravel a riddle that might explain why their kind are fading from the Wild World. When you’re only one-hand high, it’s a journey filled with both danger and delight: golden leaves, shiny conkers and the brightest of berries, but also storms and the first frost of winter. They have friendship, good sense and humour on their side, but will it be enough to secure a future for the Hidden Folk? Or will they need to go further, and find a way to work with the most unreliable of creatures … humans?
This is a new-to-me author but, when I read the synopsis, I couldn’t resist this as I absolutely love Christmas stories!
What would you do if Santa put you on his Naughty List? A magical Christmas adventure like no other, with an Elf called Jiggles, a race to save Christmas, and lots of cat food! When Aisling and Joe antagonise their tough new babysitter, she writes to Santa asking for them to be put on the “naughty list”. Determined not to be denied their Christmas presents, the pair seek help from the school bully – who always gets presents, no matter how badly he behaves! Unfortunately this leads to them stealing the Santa List. After all, if Santa doesn’t have the list then he can’t tell if you’ve been naughty or nice, can he? But when the kids have a change of heart, they face a race-against-time adventure to return the list to Mr Claus, before Christmas is ruined. And when they are stopped by someone who absolutely hates Christmas . . . Christmas may not be saved after all!
This is written by a debut author and is one I have been lucky enough to win on Toppsta. I’ve been hearing lots of wonderful things about it and it has certainly captured my interest!
Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underneath a half-bombed, blackened power station, 12-year-old Luke’s life is miserable. Then, he discovers he can see things others can’t. Ghostly things. Specifically, a ghost-girl named Alma. Alma, who can ride clouds through the night sky and bend their shape to her will, befriends Luke. And with Alma’s help, Luke discovers he is in fact a rare being – half-human and half-something else … Then Luke learns the terrible truth of why children are being kidnapped and forced to work in the power station, and he becomes even more desperate to escape. Can Luke find out who he really is … and find his freedom?
I’ve read The Midnight Library (for adults), Evie and the Animals and The Girl Who Saved Christmas. I’m definitely looking forward to reading another by Matt Haig!
The epic adventure of a teeny-tiny hero. This is a tale of mice and magic. It is also a tale of great love (of cheese) and great danger. And learning the lesson that what matters most – when it comes to cheese and life – is not how strongly you smell but how strong you are on the inside.
I have been lucky enough to take part in a poetry workshop with Joseph Coelho and have a signed copies of If All the World Were and A Year of Nature Poems. I enjoyed Zombierella, the first book in this fun series, and am looking forward to the next one.
Joining the family business, animal-lover Bryony proves to be an extraordinary taxidermist, whose tender fingers create displays which comfort, educate and astound. But when Byrony’s proud father boasts of her skill, who should come calling but the secretive King of all Mythica. Locking her away, he gives her three horrible tasks … three impossibletasks! It’s only then that a strange, sinister creature emerges from the shadows of the castle, offering Bryony a helping hand… But at what cost?
I read Another Twist in the Tale last year, an absolutely wonderful twist on the story of Oliver Twist, so am really looking forward to reading a re-imagining of Frankenstein.
Sometimes I was jealous of the monster of Frankenstein. I grew up believing my father cared more for him than he did for me. And was I wrong? Maggie Walton’s father has dedicated his life to a single pursuit: hunting down the monster created by Victor Frankenstein. It has cost Maggie and her family everything – and now her father is staking everything on one last voyage to the Arctic, with Maggie secretly in tow, where he hopes to find the monster at last. But there they make a shocking discovery: Frankenstein’s monster has a son…
Release Date: 14th October
I recently read the first book in this series: A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth, a magical read which I devoured in a day, despite it being one of the longest middle-grade books I’ve read in a while. I’m so looking forward to this next one!
Imogen and Marie return through the door in the tree to a whole new Yaroslav. Miro is king, but hates it. Anneshka is no longer Queen. . . and hates it. When Anneshka hears a prophecy that she will rule the Greatest Kingdom, she seizes Marie, believing her to be key to fulfilling it, and heads over the mountains. Imogen and Miro chase after them, in hot pursuit. But what they find in the lands beyond will change everything again, and see them facing dangers they could never have imagined, both human and otherwise.
Another Christmas story by a wonderful debut author. I have been sent a copy of this through our Authorfy creative writing club, run by Mel. I’m resisting reading it until I can purchase my own copy as the book is a prize for a child in the Club!
Wish it could be Christmas every day? Well, for nine-year-old Holly Carroll and her family, it is! Living her merriest life in a house with year-round fairy lights and Christmas trees, a carol-singing toilet and a diva donkey who thinks he’s a reindeer, home-schooled Holly tries to spread cheer wherever she goes. But when she goes to a new school with a singing Santa backpack and first day Christmas cards (during a heatwave in September!), she realises not everyone shares her enthusiasm for spreading cheer. In fact, when the neighbours try to remove the Carrolls from the street and Holly discovers a group of children that may not get a Christmas at all, her snowglobe world begins to crack. Is the world’s most Christmassy girl about to lose her Christmas spirit?
Release Date: 22nd October
I absolutely loved the first book in this series, The Abbey Mystery, and have been lucky enough to get a proof copy of this one, so I will be reading it very shortly.
When the headmistress invites her past favourite pupil to attend their end of term ball, Cassandra brings her younger sister, Jane, along too. Cassandra plunges into the feverish excitement of preparing for the biggest event of the year – the dresses, the dances and the boys expected from the neighbouring school. Feeling rather excluded, sharp-witted Jane unearths the reason for the fuss – the headteacher wants to impress a rich family returned from India as the school is at risk of going bankrupt. Jane also befriends the dancing master’s assistant, a former slave, called Brandon, who is as quick to notice things as she. At the ball, a diamond necklace is stolen from a locked room and they are propelled into a race to uncover the burglar and save Brandon from gaol. With the ever-present Austen spirit, Jane with notebook in hand, boldly overcomes the obstacles to finding the truth.
Release Date: 28th October
I’ve read and enjoyed stories by so many of the 13 authors in this book, so I’m really looking forward to this collection which sounds perfect in the run-up to Christmas!
Sleuthing through the snow, on a merry mysterious day, in disguise we go, investigating all the way . . . This gorgeous Christmas hardback gift of a collection brings together thirteen of the bestselling, award-winning and exciting debut authors: Abiola Bello, Annabelle Sami, Benjamin Dean, E.L. Norry, Elle McNicoll, Dominique Valente, Joanna Williams, Maisie Chan, Nizrana Farook, Patrice Lawrence, Roopa Farooki, Serena Patel and Sharna Jackson. Join them as part of the Very Merry Murder Club as they lead you on a snow-covered wintery journey of Christmassy crimes, festive foul play and murderously magnificent mysteries!
This is written by a debut author and is one I am very excited to read as it sounds like exactly the type of magical wintery story I will enjoy.
When Bela’s mother dies, she is summoned to deepest Siberia to stay with an uncle she’s never met. Exploring his strange scientific workshop, she uncovers a secret she was never meant to find – a doorway that opens an to icy land, frozen in time and full of legends come to life. But this frozen land is in danger, and it’s up to Bela to find a way to save it. To succeed, she must join forces with the impossible: a long-lost sister she never knew she had, born 40,000 years before . . .
I haven’t yet read any of this author’s books although I do have A Most Magical Girl on my bookcase. I can’t resist a book with a dragon, and this sounds like it will be a beautiful read.
Pip never wants to be at home nowadays. There’s no laughter anymore and her mum isn’t happy. She spends most of her time alone, daydreaming and digging for treasure by the dirty creek. But one night, Pip finds something incredible – a dragon. Tiny, possibly dying, but definitely a dragon. She quickly realises that dragons don’t come with instructions: what do you feed a dragon? Where could it have come from? And how can Pip cope with the enormous changes this creature will bring into her life? Full of enchanting magic and poignant truths, Dragon Skin is a moving story of friendship, family and finding a way to fly.
As well as dragons, I can’t resist book with witches! I’ve been lucky enough to have been sent an early copy of this one by the publisher, and am really looking forward to reading it soon.
In 1771, Robert Burns, future national poet and folk hero of Scotland, has big problems. 12-year-old Rab spends all of his time doing backbreaking work on his family’s farm instead of attending school, but when he finds a hag stone in one of the fields, everything changes. Looking through its circular hole, he sees witches gathering in a coming storm, and they’ve set their sights on his family. Can Rab save his sisters from the clutches of the witches’ coven before their Halloween ceremony in the old kirk?
October is going to be a wonderful month for middle-grade releases! Do any of these pique your interest?
This is my weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books, now with a re-vamped banner!
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 …
Written by M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli Published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Favourite Sentence from Page 11:
‘What do you think about the Kratzenstein curse?’
This book in three words:
MYSTERY, TRAINS, ADVENTURE
Hal and his Uncle Nat are back for their fourth sleuthing adventure in Danger at Dead Man’s Pass. This is a wonderfully exhilarating addition to the brilliant Adventures on Train series which kept me gripped from start to finish.
Hal and his Uncle Nat receive a letter from an old friend who wants their help to investigate a death in the family, a death that some believe could be linked to a family curse. They find themselves aboard the Eurostar to Paris to meet the sender of the letter, Baron Essenbach, who asks them to go undercover as distant relatives of the rich, railway owners, the Kratzenstein family in order to uncover the truth about the unexpected death of Alexander Kratzenstein.
Taking the overnight train to Berlin, they meet their ‘family’ and travel with them to Schloss Kratzenstein, a huge manor nestled at the foot of the Harz mountains, aboard the family train in order to attend the funeral which is due to take place in the family mausoleum at the peak of the Brocken Mountain.
So begins an action-packed, intriguing adventure as Hal, together with some new friends, investigate the truth behind the death of Alexander Kratzenstein at Dead Man’s Pass. Did he die of natural causes, was his death caused by an old supernatural curse, or is there another more recent reason for his untimely demise? I LOVE the way Hal still manages to use his well-honed drawing skills to gather and analyse evidenceto help him solve the mystery even though he doesn’t have his sketchbook this time in order to maintain his disguise. Hal finds himself following a trail of evidence leading to suspects, misdirection, clues and unexpected revelations. Will he be able to uncover the truth behind the death before more misfortune strikes the family?
I loved the setting of Schloss Kratzenstein with its tower, indoor miniature railway and own railway station outside with old steam engines. Having a meal delivered by a miniature train venturing around the table sounds wonderful, and drinking hot chocolate in a tower room with a snowy mountain view sounds idyllic! I also loved the historical and folklore references in the story and how these linked together to build tension within the mystery.
Hal is an incredibly likeable character who quickly develops friendships with others. He is clever, inquisitive and determined, but he also enjoys having fun with his new friends, Herman, Ozan and Hilda who help him with his investigation, albeit unaware that they are in the company of the young train detective who is becoming well-known. Hal and Nat also work more independently of each other for reasons I will refrain from mentioning for fear of any spoilers, but I will say that I love how the strands come together in this incredibly intriguing, suspenseful mystery.
The detailed illustrations which are scattered throughout the story are absolutely stunning and perfectly evoke the atmosphere and setting for this adventure. I really appreciated the floorplan of Schloss Kratzenstein, and the inclusion of the names of the guests and family when they are sitting down for dinner!
I was definitely all aboard for this incredibly clever mystery which utterly engrossed me and kept me guessing until the end, and I can’t wait to get on board again for the next adventure!
Thank you to Antonia and the Publisher, Macmillan Children’s Books, for an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
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