I’m listening to the audiobook of Hollowpox: The Hunting of Morrigan Crow which I’m really enjoying – this is a series that just gets better and better – I’m really looking forward to the next one. I’ve also just started reading Ferris.
I’ve finished reading two brilliant historical adventures. The Houdini Inheritance is a fantastic mystery with real life and imagined characters blending perfectly for an exciting adventure. I will be posting my review shortly. I also read Delta and the Lost City which is an absolutely gripping adventure told from the perspective of a young wolfdog who is trying to protect his family during the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. I will be posting my review as part of the Blog Tour next week.
I’m currently reading The Houdini Inheritance which I’m really enjoying and definitely looking forward to finding out what happens. I’m also listening to Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow which has thrown me straight back into this fantastic world with brilliant characters.
I’ve finished reading The Boy Who Fell from the Sky which was a fantastic adventure – I really hope there is more from this world. I also finished Fireborn and, my goodness, what a series – definitely one of my favourite ever! I also read Pirate Academy: New Kid on Deck which was a wonderfully action-packed adventure on the high seas and the start of a new series. Finally, I read Michael The Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog which is such a fun read – I’ve posted my review.
Written by Holly Webb Illustrated by David Dean Published by Little Tiger
The Summer Dolphin is a heart-warming summer adventure set in coastal Wales that completely captivated me as I followed Lillie on her mission to connect with a young dolphin.
Nine-year-old Lillie has been looking forward to her seaside family summer holiday for ages. But when she arrives at her grandparents’ new home in Wales, she discovers that she will have to sleep in the attic room in a sleeping bag between her older sister, Frankie and her cousin, Lara. Lots of her family have been invited to stay, yet Lillie feels lonely, and is left out of activities by her sister and cousin who want to spend their time together rather than including Lillie who they see as too young to spend time with them.
When her Grandpa hires a boat for a wildlife-watching trip, Lillie enjoys seeing different seabirds and a huge jellyfish. When she spots a pod of dolphins, including a mother and her calf, Lilie is fascinated by them as they swim playfully alongside the boat, feeling a connection with the young dolphin.
As Lillie feels more and more isolated from her sister, she spends her time looking for the young dolphin, hoping to get closer to it. Later in the holiday, Frankie and Lara are really mean to Lillie, so she decides to go looking for the dolphins and prove to her sister that she is not the baby she thinks she is.
Lillie is excited to be heading off on her own adventure, but soon finds herself in danger when she fails to take notice of the time and the incoming tide … will she find the help she needs to make it back to her family?
This is a gorgeously heart-warming adventure about the importance of connections: connection to the natural world and its wild beauty, connections within family and the special bonds of sisterhood. Whilst these bonds can be tested at times, when it really matters, they hold strong.
The description of the coastal environment and the family excursions to enjoy it are wonderful and really convey an appreciation of nature and the benefits of making connections to it.
Lillie is an incredibly sympathetic young girl who is dealing with the disappointment of having a much-anticipated holiday affected by the hurt of being rejected by her older sister in favour of her older cousin. In order to prove herself, she unwittingly puts herself in danger, but finds help through the connections she has made.
The full-and-partial-page illustrations by David Dean are absolutely stunning portraying family relationships and the coastal environment beautifully: a perfect complement to the adventure.
A wonderful adventure for younger readers with family and nature at its heart – a perfect summer read!
Thank you to Little Tiger for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written by Terrie Chilvers Illustrated by Tim Budgen Published by Firefly Press
Michael The Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog is a woof-tastically fun treat for younger readers: hilarious, heart-warming and wonderfully charming.
Following the events in Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog, Michael has now found much-wanted fame with his own TV series (An Audience with Michael) in Hollywoof, interviewing and reading the minds of his dog star guests. But fame can be short-lived, and his ratings are plummeting …
When his next guest, Susan the Chocolate Labrador, is dognapped by supervillain, Dog X, Michael spies a paw-fect opportunity to improve his TV ratings. He will become a super-sleuth hero and rescue Susan from her dognappers. With his awesome mind-reading skills and best friend Stanley Big Dog at his side, what could possibly go wrong?
I absolutely adored this fun-filled adventure as Michael and Stanley travel to Three Paw Creek with basset hound Detective Wrinkles to hand over the ransom to secure Susan’s release. Things quickly go wrong for the super-sleuthing sausage dog when he fails to follow orders and misses an important deadline. Determined to put things right, Michael goes on his own detective trail and finds himself paw-to-paw with danger …
I loved the balance of humour and peril, the doggie puns and charm, the wonderful friendship between Michael and Stanley and the gentle lessons to be learned – just perfect for young readers.
Michael is the most gorgeous, snazzy waistcoat-wearing, sausage dog. He is determined not to lose the success he has gained which can lead to him being over-confident and not listening to others, but he also has a heart of gold and is a fantastic friend to Stanley. He never gives up, even when things go wrong, which is a wonderful message for younger readers.
The illustrations are an absolute joy and brilliantly capture the energy, fun and personalities of the dog stars of this adventure.
A paw-fectly delightful mystery served with oodles of humour, a fantastic filling of friendship and a dash of danger – a guaranteed winner for young readers of 6+.
Thank you to Firefly Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written by Catherine Fisher Illustrated by Efa Lois Published by Cadno an imprint of Graffeg Limited
Culhwch and Olwen is a spellbinding, lyrical re-telling of an early Arthurian myth that completely captivated me as I followed a courageous hero and his companions on a dangerous, thrilling and seemingly impossible quest.
A baby boy is born in a pig-run, in tragic circumstances, and wrapped in a swineherd’s coat. His father, Prince Cilydd, has been searching for his pregnant wife, who went missing on Lammas night. When he finds her, she is dying, but tells him to name their son Culhwch.
When Culhwch becomes a young man, his father remarries but his new wife is seeking revenge. She places a curse on Culhwch: he will never have a wife unless he marries Olwen – the daughter of Ysbaddaden, Chief of the Giants. Determined to fulfil his destiny, Culhwch seeks help from his cousin, Arthur.
After much searching through Wales, Culhwch, and the companions Arthur has sent with him, eventually find the Giant’s fortress and find themselves before the terrifying Ysbaddaden. With help from his daughter, Olwen, who Culhwch has fallen deeply in love with, he enters the Fortress and comes face-to-face with her terrifying father. Ysbaddaden agrees to the marriage on condition that Culhwch undertakes a perilous quest to complete a serious of tasks and bring him the treasures he has requested. Will Culhwch be able to fulfil the Giant’s demands and marry his true love, or is his quest doomed to fail?
This is the most wonderfully rich quest journey filled with magical, fearsome creatures and incredible treasures, with feats of courage, with deeds of heroism and with a dangerous hunt. I really enjoyed that both prose and poetry are included in the re-telling of the myth.
The black-on-white and white-on-black illustrations, depicting both characters and nature, are stunning and complement the story perfectly.
An enchanting and delightful mythical tale of heroism and true love, perfect for young readers of 9+.
Thank you to Graffeg Limited for inviting me to take part in the Blog Tour and for providing me with a digital copy of Culhwch and Olwen in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’m almost finished Fireborn and am absolutely loving it. There is so much emotional involvement with the characters and I’m almost afraid to find out how it finishes! I’m listening to the audiobook of The Boy Who Fell From the Sky which is brilliant and also not what I had expected – I’m loving the twists.
I’ve finished reading Culwch and Olwen which is a wonderful novella based on the first Arthurian legend. I will be posting my review shortly. I’ve also read I am Lenny Brown which I really enjoyed. After the death of his father, Lenny stops talking except to his mum and dog. It was wonderful to see how he copes in school and the friendships he makes and difficulties he overcomes. Powerful and heart-warming. I’ve also finished The Summer Dolphin, a gorgeous adventure for younger readers – I will be posting my review, hopefully this weekend.
I’m listening to the audiobook of Fireborn: Starling and the Cavern of Light which is absolutely brilliant. It is action-packed and brimming with peril with some unexpected twists. Definitely one of my favourite series ever!
I read The Wanderdays: Journey to Fantome Island which is a wonderful, action-packed adventure. I have posted my review. I also read The Day of the Jackdaw which is a brilliantly funny and warm-hearted novella. I will be posting my review tomorrow. I don’t read many books for adults, but I absolutely devoured The Burning Girls written by a new favourite author. This was a compelling read for me with twists that made be gasp – absolutely brilliant writing.
I love Catherine Fisher’s writing and am hoping to read Culhwch and Olwen next.
Written by Jo Simmons Illustrated by Lee Cosgrove Published by Barrington Stoke
The Day of the Jackdaw is a fantastically funny, warm-hearted and empathetic adventure about overcoming fears, belonging and acceptance.
Alex and his family are moving from the city to the countryside, but Alex is not at all keen on the move. In fact, he has made a list of things he dislikes about the countryside in his Top-Secret Stuff notebook, top of his concerns being angry badgers! Imagine his horror when he discovers from a local online newspaper article that angry badgers are the least of his concerns. Why? The village of Noggings is being terrorised by an aerial acrobat – a jackdaw called Graham – who is attacking the villagers when least expected.
Shortly after moving to Noggings, Alex makes a new friend, his neighbour Callie, who introduces him to her 12 guinea-pigs. Just as he is leaving her garden, he has his first encounter with Graham, an encounter that leaves him frozen in fear.
Later, Alex attends a meeting in the village hall with his family where the villagers are discussing how to rid themselves of their menacing avian foe before he can create chaos at their upcoming summer fete. Can Alex discover the reason for Graham’s ruinous rampages and put a stop to them before he brings more mayhem to the villagers?
This is an adventure that is guaranteed to being plenty of giggles as Graham’s antics have the villagers in uproar. They are determined to stop his attacks, but this clever corvid is always one swoop ahead of the hapless villagers.
Alex is a clever, empathetic and kind-hearted boy who overcomes his initial fear of Graham to find out more about him, putting aside his, and the villagers, pre-judgments and giving him a chance to be understood. Alex, despite his pre-judgments of life in the countryside, finds the courage to give his new community a chance, finding friendship and a sense of belonging. I think this is a wonderful message for young children as they are faced with changes in their lives, whether that be moving home or school.
The full-and-partial page illustrations throughout are absolutely gorgeous and capture the mayhem and warmth of the adventure perfectly.
This is a deliciously delightful tale of mischief and mayhem, flying high with heart and humour.
This book is published by Barrington Stoke who publish dyslexia-friendly, super-readable and accessible books for children of all ages. This one is for ages 9+ with a reading age of 8.
Thank you to Barrington Stoke for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Written by Clare Povey Cover Illustration by Ben Mantle Published by Usborne
The Wanderdays: Journey to Fantome Island is an exciting, enthralling aquatic adventure that completely captured me.
Twelve-year-old Nellie Wanderday is making breakfast, wondering when her mum, Nellie, will phone, when she is given the most terrible news by her best friend, Funmi. Her mum, a famous ocean explorer and documentary maker, has been reported missing whilst on her latest expedition in the North Atlantis Ocean.
After receiving an enigmatic message from an environmental journalist and friend of their mum, Flo and her brother, Joseph discover that their mum is involved in a dangerous mission. She is searching for proof that local TV presenter, Sir Frederick Titan, is not the environmental hero that he claims to be, but rather that he has been exploiting and destroying habitats for profit. Could Titan have discovered that Nellie was investigating him? Could he be responsible for the disappearance of her boat? And, what is the secret project he is hiding from the world on the mysterious Fantome Island?
So begins the most brilliant, edge-of-your-seat, exciting adventure. Flo, Joseph and their best friends, Funmi and Isaac, join Nellie’s friend, Marianne de la Mer, aboard a submarine in search of Nellie, and to discover the secrets of Fantome Island and proof of Titan’s crimes against the natural world. I loved the clever uncovering of clues along the way which allowed the children to follow Nellie’s trail. There is plenty of danger, threat and tension that kept me eagerly turning pages and I must admit I was completely taken by surprise at some of the twists and turns – utterly brilliant.
There is a powerful and pertinent environmental message weaved throughout the adventure which addresses exploitation of natural resources, damage to ocean life caused by ghost nets and the climate crisis.
I really liked the strong sibling bond between Flo and her younger brother, Joseph. Flo is incredibly supportive and protective of her brother who has OCD and is there for him when his intrusive thoughts and worries becoming overwhelming. Joseph has a natural curiosity and a love of marine life and doesn’t let his OCD hold him back from exploration and adventure. All four children have their own strengths and talents which make them a great team as they show courage and determination in standing against a vile villain.
A fantastic start to an exhilarating new series where friendship, teamwork and courage meet danger and dastardly villains – perfect for young adventurers of 9+.
Thank you to Usborne for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
It’s been a very busy month at work with the run-up to SATs and SATs week. We also had Sports Day. We also opened our new library and I arranged an author visit from Guy Bass who spoke to the children and opened the library. He was absolutely brilliant and the children loved listening to him, chatting to him and having their books signed. I’m glad I’ve had a week off for half-term to re-charge. I’ve just come back from a quick visit to Ireland to visit family which was wonderful. Now, to report writing and Year 6 production!
Books I’ve read:
I’ve read 15 books in May: 13 physical books and 2 audiobooks. I have written and posted reviews for 11 of these and will be posting my reviews for The Wanderdays and Nush and the Stolen Emerald shortly.
NetGalley:
My feedback ratio is at 97%. I have requested and been approved to read one book in April.
Books sent by publishers:
I am grateful to have been sent twelve books by Publishers this month.
Books bought:
I bought 15 books in May – no wonder my TBR never decreases!
How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these?Have you any of them on your TBR?
Book Craic 