Children’s book reviews
The February theme for Six for Sunday, hosted by A Little But a Lot is Read it and weep! and today’s prompt is for Books with red covers. I’ve had a look at my bookshelves and chosen six books with red covers that I haven’t yet read, but all of which I’m excited to get to!
Have you read any of these? What did you think?
44 Tiny Acrobats is the second book in this gorgeous series for younger readers, starring 44 adorable and mischievous pygmy mice, and the wonderful Bow-Linnet family: full of warmth, humour and adventure, this will be sure to keep children entertained throughout – and probably wanting their own little acrobat!
It is the start of the Christmas holidays, and Betsy and her Grandad are continuing the family tradition of Christmas Decoration Day. However, Betsy is quick to realise that her beloved Grandad is not his usual cheery self: could this be something to do with the circus which they can see on the common near their home?
After one of her mice gets injured, Betsy takes it to the vet and, on the way home, cannot resist buying a ticket to Fry & Sons Circus of Wonders. Betsy is absolutely mesmerised by the acts who perform and feels a pull towards circus life, a life that drew her Grandma too. Trouble ensues when the mice escape which leads to an encounter with the circus Ringmaster, Mr Fry who demands that she makes amends, so Betsy finds herself and her acrobatic troupe of pygmy mice agreeing to perform, but can she keep her secret from her family?
This is a wonderful story taking the young reader on an exciting adventure with an element of danger that is sure to keep pages turning. Will Betsy be able to outwit the terrible Ringmaster, Mr Fry, who is determined to have her acrobatic mouse troupe perform, with or without her?
Betsy is the most wonderful, kind-hearted young girl: courageous, independent and determined. She finds herself in a tricky situation, trying hard to do the right thing whilst not upsetting others and feeling guilty over the choices she makes. She does have help from the magnificent magician, Enid the Splendid who is kind and supportive, and who has some of his own wrongs to right.
I loved the warm relationship between Betsy, her parents and her Grandfather. Even though she feels she has to keep her secret from her family, she is doing so in order not to hurt them and as she feels a responsibility to put right a mistake she has made. The message that her family is there for her, to protect and support her is a wonderful one, and I really enjoyed seeing other sides of her family – especially her Dad!
The story illustrations, in a range of shades of red, by Ashley King are absolutely stunning, and really bring the characters to life, showing the warmth and humour in the story perfectly.
This is a perfect book for young readers to enjoy with endearing characters, plenty of action and humour, and wonderful messages of friendship and family.
Thank you to Charlie Morris and Little Tiger for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
Fear sank its jaws into Zima as she recognized the smell of magic. She pressed her nose to the ground and sniffed again. Like moonlight and decay – it burrowed into her nose, slippery and sinister. She shook her head and huffed to clear out her nostrils. A shiver rippled through Zima’s silvery-gray fur. She knew what the smell meant. The witch was nearby.
Any ideas?
I couldn’t resist this one as I’ve heard some wonderful things about it: wolves and Baba Yaga – what’s not to love?
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Girl Who Drank the Moon meets Pax in this fantastical tale of a wolf who forms an unlikely alliance with Baba Yaga to save the forest from a wicked tsar. Since she was a pup, Zima has been taught to fear humans—especially witches—but when her family is threatened, she has no choice but to seek help from the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga never does magic for free, but it just so happens that she needs a wolf’s keen nose for a secret plan she’s brewing… Before Zima knows what’s happening, the witch has cast a switching spell and run off into the woods, while Zima is left behind in Baba Yaga’s hut—and Baba Yaga’s body! Meanwhile, a young village girl named Nadya is also seeking the witch’s help, and when she meets Zima (in Baba Yaga’s form), they discover that they face a common enemy. With danger closing in, Zima must unite the wolves, the witches and the villagers against an evil that threatens them all.
Have you read this one? What did you think?
I haven’t actually started either of these yet, but I’m going to be later this evening and tomorrow morning. I really enjoyed Tiger Heart by Penny Chrimes so, when I saw this on NetGalley, I was eager to read it. I’ve seen lots of wonderful recommendations for The Silent Stars Go By so I reserved it on BorrowBox and it has now become available. It will be keeping me company on the drive to and from work over the next while.
This week I finished reading The Ocean Squid Explorers’ Club which is the most fun, imaginative adventure. The world building is brilliant. I am taking part in a Blog Tour later in the month, so will post my review then. I also read 44 Tiny Acrobats which is an adorable read for younger children. I am currently writing my review and hope to post it tomorrow – depending on how late I finish work! I also finished Uki and the Swamp Spirit which I absolutely loved. This is such an incredible adventure series that feels like a classic quest. The main characters, Uki, Jori and Kree have a wonderful bond and are such a brilliant, and brave, team. The ending has left me desperate for the next book for very different reasons than I had anticipated! Finally, I finished listening to The Light Jar which was amazing. For so much of the book I was on edge as I just didn’t know what to expect. It is such a cleverly written story with a wonderfully sympathetic character in Nate who I adored. I definitely need to read more books by Lisa Thompson as I really enjoyed the writing style in this one.
I have been sent a proof of The Abbey Mystery which is being published on 23rd April. I love Jane Austen’s books, so am really looking forward to a mystery with a young fictional Jane. I love the cover of this one too.
Desperate to become a shark‐caller to avenge the death of her parents, Blue Wing is instead charged with befriending infuriating newcomer Maple. At first they are angry and out of sync with the island and each other. But when the tide breathes the promise of treasure, can they overcome their differences and brave the deadliest shark in the ocean?
The Shark Caller publishes in paperback on 4 February from Usborne, written by Zillah Bethell with cover art work from Saara Katariina Söderlund.
Zillah Bethell has penned a spell-binding new middle grade novel set against the beautifully-woven backdrop of her childhood home of New Ireland in Papua New Guinea. The Shark Caller is an astonishing story of friendship, forgiveness and bravery which fellow children’s author Sophie Anderson describes as “magnificent and beautiful.”
I am incredibly excited to have a wonderful piece written by Zillah exclusively for my Blog about her interwoven childhood memories of a sea moon.
“Choose one,” my grandmother said, tearing a newspaper page with a list of horse names on it and handing it to me. I didn’t find this particularly strange, at least no stranger than anything else that had happened since recently moving to the UK where everyone seemed to eat a lot of cream and talk interminably about the weather. To be fair to my grandmother, I don’t think she was an inveterate gambler exactly, it’s just that when she managed to sell a Toby jug or horrible vase with grapes on from her little shop Aggie’s Antiques, she liked to place a small bet, thereby combining her love of money with her love of horses. Either that or she was trying to broaden my understanding of the culture I’d landed in.
I looked at the list of names. They were all beautiful: Romeo, Lady’s Slipper, Farewell Tardy, Dawn Piccolo, March Wind and then I spotted it – Sea Moon. “That one,” I said, pointing.
My grandmother peered. She always peered. “Forty to one!” she laughed. “No chance.”
***
The sea is a mysterious thing, fascinating and unpredictable. Sometimes you can float in it, the sun on your face, allowing the waves to roll you where they will; other times it takes all your strength to get through the breakers or survive an undertow. It feels like a metaphor for life, the sea. It gives, it takes away. It crashes in suddenly, turning you head over heels, over and over. Sometimes it plays and sparkles. Sometimes it’s edgy and dangerous. It can be so very cold and drear and bleak. It’s always changing yet always the same. It seems to go on forever.
I grew up with the sea literally on my doorstep. It woke us in the morning, sent us to bed and accompanied us through our dreams and our sleep. It felt like a second heartbeat. I grew up learning Ewa ge – the language of the sea people. The sea was everything to us – we swam in it, washed in it, fished in it, travelled in it. We couldn’t exist without it. We took a gamble on the sea every day of our lives. In Ewa ge there’s a saying which goes something like this: you have to dive beneath the surface to see the rocks, the coral, the barnacled shipwrecks. From above you can’t tell which is which…
***
My grandmother trotted out with Pepper the dog. She was always nipping out to buy a loaf of bread or go to the bank or some other errand. I think I was meant to mind the shop but hardly anyone ever came in and I didn’t understand money, so I took up my position in the dog’s chair in front of the television. It was a Queen Anne chair apparently, my grandmother had got it from some auction and was re-stuffing it and even though it wasn’t very comfortable, I loved to watch that black and white crackling TV, mesmerised by images I’d never seen before. Don’t ask me why Pepper’s chair was sat in front of the TV – perhaps he liked watching videos of The Bionic Woman, too, imagining he was back jumping off platforms into the sea in Papua New Guinea instead of the icy brick walls into gardens with people yelling.
***
I remember one night we were travelling back from a wedding in Basabua, I think. I was pretty young and I was feeling a bit drowsy and sick with the diesel of the boat and maybe because I’d eaten too many flummy dummies (fish in batter) at the wedding. It was dark and the rain was falling, gentle and cooling. Suddenly I noticed the moon, low in the sky. It had a bright arc above it like a silver rainbow.
“Look!” I said to my mother. “Look!”
“Ah,” she said. “That’s a moon you see at sea.”
I kept repeating moon-you-see-at-sea and staring at this beautiful thing until I must have fallen asleep.
***
I once asked a fisherman in Devon what a moon you see at sea was. He said it was probably a moonbow. I researched moonbows – rare atmospheric phenomena that occur when the moon’s light is reflected and refracted off water. First mentioned apparently by Aristotle. Of course, I don’t know if it really was a moonbow I saw or whether the experience belongs to that land of dream, myth and memory where much of our childhood lies.
***
Suddenly my grandmother was in the doorway. She was kind of hopping and grinning and waving all at the same time and Pepper seemed to be doing the same.
“Sea Moon came in,” she said. “Fourth place. We’re rich!”
“Are we?”
“Yes.” She waved a ten-pound note. “Let’s get some chips.”
I left the Queen Anne chair to the dog and took my grandmother’s rough and reassuring hand. It was always rough and reassuring. We walked up the street to the chip shop and sat eating those deliciously newspapery vinegary greasy chips on a wall, me wiping my hands on my jeans and my grandmother still grinning. (Now, when I imagine her washing those jeans in a Belfast sink in a house with no central heating or washing machine, my heart kind of lurches.)
And at that moment I felt the deepest conviction as children often do about the most random of subjects, that the sea was the most magical thing I had ever known and would ever know; and that even though rare and beautiful things are lost, there will always be more to meet, when they’re ready.
Thank you so much Zillah for writing ‘Sea Moon’ especially for my Blog.
The Shark Caller is a stunning and powerful story which wove its magic straight into my heart; an unforgettable tale set on the beautiful island of New Ireland in Papua New Guinea; a tale of two young girls from different worlds who find a bond of sisterhood that saves them both. This is an incredibly moving story that left me in floods of tears, but it also left me filled with hope and reassurance. An absolute masterpiece that I’m already confident will be one of my top reads of 2021!
Blue Wing lives with her waspapi, Siringen, after the loss of her parents who were killed by a shark. He is the village shark caller, a role that Blue Wing is desperate to step into. Siringen refuses to train her in this magical calling as it is a traditional role passed on through the male lineage, and as he is worried that she is seeking the role for the wrong reason: in a desperate need to assuage her anger and avenge the death of her parents by killing the shark who took them from her. Siringen is wise, honest and clever and perhaps knows what is best for Blue Wing more than she does herself, even if she is not willing to accept this.
Both Blue Wing and Siringen have a wonderful affinity with the world they live in, respecting the natural environment and reluctant to let the modern world encroach on their idyll. They want to keep the traditions of their people alive, despite the changing times. However, change is forced upon them by the village chief who is intent on modernising the island and opening it up to the outside world. He has demanded that Siringen look after visitors to the island: an American professor who has come to study the coral and his daughter, Maple.
It is no surprise that Blue Wing’s first meeting with Maple is difficult and that friendship does not come easily to the girls who do not seem, at first, to have anything in common. This story doesn’t shy away from the complexity of emotions that are experienced by both girls as they suffer the pain of grief at the loss of loved ones. Theirs is not an easy path, but they learn to travel it together as their friendship and trust in each other grows, and as they learn valuable lessons relating to forgiveness and acceptance.
As the girls’ friendship develops, they find themselves caught up in a compelling mystery to uncover the secrets that Maple’s grieving father is hiding, secrets that uncover their family’s history and reveal a longing to change the past …
Some stories have the power to speak to the very core of our being and to transcend time and place; I have found a peace and solace in this story which has helped me deal with my own personal grief. I am in awe of the emotional depth of this story, of the honest and heartfelt portrayal of the relationship between these two young girls which captured my heart and, yes, broke it a little in order to heal it again. I mean, how does a writer do that to a reader? There is magic and power in storytelling and this story has been imbued with its own unique magic that makes it a truly special book, an exceptional story that deserves to be read by both children and adults alike. As an avid reader of children’s books, I can honestly say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read: I really cannot recommend it highly enough!
Thank you so much to Fritha Lindqvist, Usborne and Zillah Bethell for inviting me to be part of this Blog Tour.
What a month – it seemed to last forever! Back to school with my class for one day, then lock-down. It’s been really lovely reading our class story live to the children and catching up with them daily through GoogleMeet. The endless Seesaw marking however!!! It’s been a hard month with work, but I have managed to keep myself together by making sure that I relaxed and read on most weekends. Both my Mum and my mother-in-law have had their first vaccines which is brilliant news for our families. I’ve also started bi-weekly Lateral Flow Tests which have been offered to teachers. I had no problem with the throat swabs (got my husband to do it for me), but the nostril one is a whole other matter! Anyway, one to my bookish month …
I’ve read 12 books this month: 8 physical copies, 2 e-books and 2 audiobooks.
My Feedback Ratio is currently at 92%. I have requested and been approved to read 2 books this month, both of which I’m very excited to read. There are also a few books that I have been auto-approved to read which I want to get to if I can.
I’ve been lucky to have been sent 4 physical books by publishers to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion. I’ve already read and loved The Ocean Squid Explorers’ Club, and will be taking part in a Blog Tour later this month. I am currently reading 44 Tiny Acrobats (which is due to be released on 4th February).
I have NO self-control whatsoever when it comes to buying new books. I bought 14 books this month. I have NO idea when I’m going to read most of them but, you know, they are patiently waiting for me on my bookcases:
How has your month been? Have you read any of these?
The Valley of Lost Secrets is a beautifully evocative historical mystery, set in a mining community in the Welsh Valleys at the onset of the Second World War, both heart-breaking and heart-warming, and written with such quality that it effortlessly transported me back to this era and into the lives of this community and its new residents.
At the start of the Second World War, Jimmy Travers and his younger brother Ronnie are evacuated from London to the village of LLanbryn in Wales. They are hosted by the kind-hearted Gwen and Alun Thomas who are ever patient and give the boys the space they need in order to settle into this new life. Whilst young Ronnie settles quickly to his new family and life, Jimmy finds it much more difficult and feels that he doesn’t belong. He feels a huge weight of responsibility in caring for his younger brother, and keeps his host family at an emotional distance. He feels like an outsider, struggling to adapt to this new life in this strange place, and my heart went out to him.
Other children have been evacuated alongside the Travers brothers and it is not long before they meet classmate Florence and Jimmy’s best friend, Duff. The exploration of how others influence us is clearly shown in the way these two have changed since coming to Wales. Florence has been placed with a local shopkeeper and her son, Ieuan, who take good care of her, whilst Duff is influenced by the local vicar’s son and his friends who are terrible bullies. Jimmy’s friendship with Duff is a broken one which leads to him forming new, unexpected friendships elsewhere.
When Jimmy finds himself exploring on his own, he finds a skull hidden in a tree trunk. This discovery leads him, and his new friends, on a path to solving a mystery that has affected the community for many years, one that leads to the disclosure of past secrets and an opportunity for healing.
The changing relationships between the evacuated children themselves and their hosts is wonderfully portrayed as time allows the building of trust, and tentative friendships the space to grow and flourish. I adored the friendship which develops between Florence and Jimmy, and the kindness and care with which she takes Ronnie under her wing. It is clear that Florence was an outsider at school and treated horribly but, as she opens up more to Jimmy, he begins to understand more about her life in London. Florence is an incredibly sympathetic and gutsy character who has had to deal with a lot in her young life, yet grasps the opportunities and fresh start given to her with both hands.
I loved the unravelling of the mystery in this story which was cleverly interwoven with brotherhood, healing and community. A heartfelt story of having the courage to trust, having the strength to open your heart to others despite past hurt, and of brotherhood, family and friendship. This is a story that deserves to become a children’s classic, and is one I will definitely be recommending in school.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I have now bought a copy and was lucky enough to have the author send me a signed bookplate dedicated to my class.
First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
The monster stood alone on the side of the mountain. He held out his hands. ‘Fly with courage and speed and the will of the stars. If you just do one thing, help return what is ours.’ He parted his claws so there was enough space for the moth to escape.
Any ideas?
I’ve had this one on my bookshelves since publication and its one I’m really looking forward to reading. I think I’ll save it until half term when I can completely switch off and enjoy lots of uninterrupted reading time!
Goodreads Synopsis:
With all the magic of Narnia and the humour of Mary Poppins, this is a future middle grade fantasy classic – and the beginning of an unforgettable journey…
Imogen should be nice to her little sister Marie. She should be nice to her mum’s boyfriend too. And she certainly shouldn’t follow a strange silver moth through a door in a tree. But then… who does what they’re told? Followed by Marie, Imogen finds herself falling into a magical kingdom where the two sisters are swept up in a thrilling race against time – helped by the spoiled prince of the kingdom, a dancing bear, a very grumpy hunter… and even the stars above them.
Have you read this? What did you think?
This is my new weekly meme celebrating amazing middle-grade books. I hope others will enjoy taking part in this too!
I don’t mind my strength being compared to a bear’s.
FOLKLORE, FRIENDSHIP, JOURNEY
Sophie Anderson is, without doubt, one of my favourite middle-grade authors, and a definite must buy author. I have read all three of her books (The House with Chicken Legs, The Castle of Tangled Magic and this one) and loved them all, but I have to say, The Girl Who Speaks Bear is my favourite.
Yanka’s tale is joyous, magical and everything that’s wonderful about immersing yourself in a truly exceptional story. It tugged at my heartstrings, made me smile with contentment, tense with excitement, and kept me enveloped in the safest, cosiest bear hug imaginable. The language is exquisite, with a lyrical quality permeating throughout the narrative, which is steeped in Slavic folklore. It is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever had the privilege to read.
Yanka was found outside a bear’s cave as a young child and has been raised by her foster mother, Mamochka. She lives on the edge of The Snow Forest, but as she grows up, she feels more of an affinity for the forest and its creatures, and more of an outsider within her village. She yearns to discover the roots of her past, so much so that she is compelled to leave her home and begin her journey into the forest to find out who she is and where she truly belongs … a journey that leads to danger, breath-taking revelations and deep-rooted friendships.
I absolutely loved how the storyteller, Anatoly’s folktales are interspersed throughout Yanka’s narrative, separate to the chapters, sprinkling delicious clues to her origins. The tales are beautiful in their own right, but resonate even more as they reveal a deeper understanding of Yanka’s heritage. These oral stories within the story really emphasised for me the importance of a nation’s folklore, myths and legends to give readers shared experiences and a connectedness to each other through our shared knowledge of these stories.
If you have not yet read this one, I would wholeheartedly recommend that you put in on your reading pile: a perfect feel-good read for a cold evening! You can read my full review here.
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 currently reading The Ocean Squid Explorers’ Club which will be released on 4th February. I’m really enjoying the interaction between the new characters and the fast-paced action. I’m listening to The Light Jar, am on tenterhooks about what is going to happen and feel like there’s going to be tears.
I’ve finished reading George which I really enjoyed. George’s voice is done brilliantly and I loved her friendship with Kelly. The ending was really uplifting. I also read Uki and the Outcasts which I adored. Uki and his band of outcasts are wonderful, full of courage and strength and supportive of each other. I also loved Rue, the Bard’s apprentice.
I don’t want to wait too long before going on another adventure with Uki, so I’m going to pick up Uki and the Swamp Spirit next.
Have you read any of these? What are you reading?
Book Craic 