Review: Marvin and the Book of Magic by Jenny Pearson with illustrations by Aleksei Bitskoff

Marvin and the Book of Magic is a heart-warming and hilarious tale that had me giggling and feeling fuzzy in equal measure. 

Marvin has given up on his dream of becoming a magician after a disastrous appearance on a TV Talent Show involving a badly-behaved squirrel and ensuing chaos.  Giggles guaranteed!

Marvin has always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his beloved grandad who had been a magician and had believed Marvin had a gift for magic, but Marvin no longer believes in this.  His confidence and self-belief have been dented by the reaction to his TV performance which has made him doubt himself.

When his best friend Asha encourages him to take part in the school talent show, Marvin is adamant that he will never perform again.  In fact, he is so sure that magic is no longer for him that he trades his box of magic tricks in exchange for an old book – a magic book.  Has he just been conned, or is there still some small part of him that believes in magic?  Can he find his magic again and make a comeback in the school talent show? 

Be prepared for giggles galore as Marvin finds out more about his magical abilities through the book of magic, as his best friend Asha practises her talent show routine (seriously brilliant) and as they take to the stage.

I loved the friendship between Marvin and Asha which felt really genuine.  Asha is confident, enthusiastic and brimming with positivity and, as soon as Marvin shows an interest in the talent show, she is immediately supportive.  Will Marvin find his confidence and self-belief again?  There is magic in this wonderful friendship and I absolutely loved how this was shown in the story.

The full-and-partial page illustrations throughout are wonderfully expressive and complement their warmth and humour of the story perfectly.

This is a gorgeously heart-warming, hilarious story brimming with the magic of sincere friendship, perfect for young readers of 7+.

This book is published by the wonderful Barrington Stoke who publish dyslexia-friendly, super-readable and accessible books for children of all ages.  This one is for ages 7+ with a reading age of 7.

Thank you to Barrington Stoke for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

December Wrap-Up

I’m getting ready to go back to work tomorrow after a wonderful couple of weeks off where I definitely got to re-charge my batteries, relax and catch up. This was a good reading month where I finally managed to read some books for adults as well as middle-grade!

Goodreads Challenge:

I had set my Goodreads Challenge for this year at 104 books and managed to surpass it with 170 books. This included physical books, e-books and audiobooks. I have set my Challenge for next year at 150 books.

Books I’ve read:

As I’ve had a wonderful break over the Christmas period, I’ve read more books than I normally would: this month I’ve read 17 books which includes 3 books for adults, 2 audiobooks, 2 graphic novels and 10 middle-grade (9 physical copies and one e-book).

NetGalley:

My feedback ratio is at 95%. I have requested and been approved to read two books in December. I also have a physical copy of Dreamstalkers.

Books sent by publishers:

I am grateful to have been sent eight books by Publishers this month. I have read and written reviews for six of them and will be posting my reviews over the next few days. I have already posted my review for Harley Hitch Takes Flight.

Books bought:

I bought six books, and have read two of them, Stitch and The Drift.

Books gifted for Christmas:

I hadn’t quite realised how many books I’d put on my Christmas Wish List- and there were a few surprises too! I got 11 to add to my TBR and have read one over Christmas.

How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these? Have you any of them on your TBR?

Some favourite reads of 2023 …

I’ve really enjoyed looking back through my reviews over the year in order to compile my list of 2023 favourite reads. I’ve read over 150 children’s books this year, and have chosen 20 of my most memorable reads to share. I’ve had the most amazing reading adventures this year, and have loved sharing these books with my class. I’ve really enjoyed returning to series I’ve loved, reading new books by favourite authors and enjoying books by new-to-me or debut authors. 

I’ve included the opening to my review in each of my choices with a link to my full review.

Impossible Creatures: What an incredible, impossibly amazing adventure!  I was absolutely gripped by Impossible Creatures from the opening lines until the final page.  A powerful, stunning epic fantasy that swept me into a magical world that I didn’t want to leave.  This is a story that melts into your heart and leaves an indelible mark – utterly breath-taking! 

Podkin and the Singing Spear: Well, that was just incredible!  357 pages of epic fantasy perfection that I didn’t want to end, but just couldn’t stop reading!  I’m a huge fan of The World of Podkin One-Ear so absolutely loved joining Podkin again for another breath-taking, thrilling adventure as he battles against an evil he thought he had defeated …

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key:The Secret of the Blood-Red Key is the next incredible adventure in the Stolen Dreams Adventures series, and follows on from the events in The Book of Stolen Dreams which was in my top reads of 2021.  I have no doubt that this one will be in my top reads of 2023:  it is an absolutely superb, unmissable adventure.

The Light Thieves: Search for the Black Mirror: Search for the Black Mirror is the second in The Light Thieves trilogy:  a thrilling, gripping rollercoaster of an eco-adventure that kept me utterly entranced throughout.  This can be read as a standalone as it starts with an innovative four-page illustrated synopsis of the first book.  I also thought this was a brilliant quick reminder of the events in the first book for those of us who have read the first book, and were left with the tantalising cliffhanger that made this one an eagerly anticipated read. 

The Silver Road:The Silver Road is a stunning fantasy adventure that swept me into a world of magic and myth, of danger and hope, of family and friendship that completely entranced me.  This is a book I really cannot recommend highly enough – outstanding storytelling from a master storyteller who weaves magic into words.

The House Trap:The House Trap is a deliciously scary, intriguing mystery that is spine-tinglingly thrilling:  an adventure that kept me utterly enthralled throughout. 

The Song that Sings Us:The Song That Sings Us is a powerful, visceral and lyrical masterpiece:  an environmental thriller that completely gripped me and took me on a heart-wrenching, but ultimately, hopeful journey. 

Call of the Titanic: I am a huge fan of Lindsay Galvin’s historical fiction adventures, so was eagerly anticipating Call of the Titanic.  Oh my goodness – this is the most incredible, heart-wrenching story of courage in the face of terrible tragedy, that completely captured me … an absolute must-read, and definitely one of my books of the year. 

Fablehouse:Fablehouse is a stunning story of connection, friendship and belonging set in the 1950s, blending magic, history and Arthurian legend:  an unforgettable quest adventure that completely captivated me.

Norah’s Ark:Norah’s Ark is a powerful, empathetic story told from the dual viewpoint of two children from very different worlds who find each other when they are both in need of friendship.  This is a story that captured my heart and, I must admit at times, broke it a little.  Whilst there are some very difficult issues addressed, there is also a real sense of hope and love woven throughout that makes this an uplifting, heart-warming read.  This is a story that will stay with me, and is one I cannot recommend highly enough for homes and schools. 

Saving Neverland:Saving Neverland is the most magical, mesmerising story that swept me wholeheartedly into its icy world adventure with unforgettable characters, incredible feats of peril and delight and heart-warming bonds of family and friendship.  In fact, this was so good that I have already read it twice, and cannot wait to share it with my class. 

Jodie:Jodie is a spine-tinglingly haunting and eerie ghost story that kept me enthralled throughout.  Utterly compelling, and so beautifully written.

Carnival of the Spider:Carnival of the Spider is the third stunning adventure in the Carnival series which has absolutely captivated me with its atmospheric, dark and dangerous Victorian steampunk vibes which swept me into an action-packed, intriguing adventure that I really could not put down.  This series can be read as standalones, but I have no doubt that, once one adventure has been read, the others will prove irresistible!

Until the Road Ends: Until the Road Ends is a powerful and heartfelt adventure set during World War II, a story of the enduring strength of friendship, and the incredible journey a devoted dog will take to be reunited with his friend when she most needs him.  Heart-breaking, hopeful and a testament to the courage of the animals who became wartime heroes.

The Boy Who Made Monsters: I’m such a huge fan of Jenny Pearson’s heartfelt, humorous stories that have all found a place in my heart:  stories that bring both laughter and tears, written with such tenderness, warmth and hope.  The Boy Who Made Monsters is another absolute belter!   A beautifully poignant, humorous and hopeful story of family, friendships and the courage and strength it takes to face monsters. 

Spellstone:Spellstone is an absolutely gripping fantasy adventure that kept me utterly enthralled from start to finish:  an epic battle blending ancient legend in a modern setting where magic swirls, evil hides where people fail to notice, and hope sparks with a young sorcerer …

The Swifts:The Swifts is a wickedly humorous, action-packed whodunnit with the most brilliant opening that perfectly captures the quirky playfulness and delicious darkness that makes this a dazzlingly mesmerising read, and one that I cannot recommend highly enough.

The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie:The Dark and Dangerous Gifts of Delores Mackenzie is a deliciously dark, spine-tingling, supernatural adventure that completely enthralled me.    This is a must-read for those of 10+ who enjoy darker, spookier adventures that are guaranteed to bring shivers of delight – and just the right amount of fright!

The Song Walker:The Song Walker is an absolutely stunning, transcendent, and deeply moving story:  a story of friendship, of courage and of hope set in the fierce beauty of the Australian Outback that held me spellbound throughout.  I have no doubt whatsoever that this will be one of my books of 2023!

The Octopus, Dadu and Me: The Octopus, Dadu and Me is an incredibly touching, sensitively portrayed story of friendship, family and acceptance that brought tears and smiles as I was completely captured by both Sashi’s rescue mission and her emotional journey.

Have you read any of these? What have been some of your favourite books this year?

Top 10 viewed posts for 2023

I’ve seen a few people doing Most Viewed posts this year, so thought I’d have a look at mine for the year. They are all Reviews so I’ve linked my review to each of the posts with a quick intro from my review. 

10.

Seed is a spectacularously heart-warming, humorous, adventure that swept me into a world where the impossible might just become possible; where hope grows nurtured by kindness; and where nature has the power to fulfil dreams … 

9.

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.

8.

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

7.

The Song Walker is an absolutely stunning, transcendent, and deeply moving story:  a story of friendship, of courage and of hope set in the fierce beauty of the Australian Outback that held me spellbound throughout.  I have no doubt whatsoever that this will be one of my books of 2023!

6.

Until the Road Ends is a powerful and heartfelt adventure set during World War II, a story of the enduring strength of friendship, and the incredible journey a devoted dog will take to be reunited with his friend when she most needs him.  Heart-breaking, hopeful and a testament to the courage of the animals who became wartime heroes.

5.

When I first started teaching, I bought a copy of Oscar Wilde Stories for Children which contained my favourite tale ever. This new paperback picture book edition of The Selfish Giant is absolutely stunning with large, detailed oil paintings on one page and accompanying text on the other.  There is a small square image tile introducing the text, and I loved seeing how this related to the larger artwork.

4.

Letters from the Lighthouse is an absolutely gripping historical mystery set during the Second World War, and one which I read in one sitting as I just couldn’t put it down!

3.

Oh yes!  Vashti Hardy has done it again!  Crowfall is a thrilling, irresistible corker of an adventure that utterly absorbed me from start to finish.   I’m so glad I settled down to read this on a Sunday afternoon as it is most definitely a compelling page-turner that I devoured in one sitting.

2.

What an incredible, impossibly amazing adventure!  I was absolutely gripped by Impossible Creatures from the opening lines until the final page.  A powerful, stunning epic fantasy that swept me into a magical world that I didn’t want to leave.  This is a story that melts into your heart and leaves an indelible mark – utterly breath-taking! 

1.

The Kid Who Came from Space is a completely absorbing science-fiction read which is very cleverly written in four parts from a dual narrative with extra information being presented as newspaper reports.   The short chapters kept me wanting just one more chapter – a genuinely compulsive read! 

What has been your most viewed post this year?Was it a review, or something else?

The End of the Year Book Tag

I’ve just seen this tag on dinipandareads fantastic blog so thought I’d give it a go for the first time this year. This tag was originally created by booktuber Ariel Bissett.

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

Only one! I started The Dark Between the Trees after picking it up in Forbidden Planet. It’s been a while since I’ve read any of it, but I do intend to pick it up again – hopefully before the end of the year!

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

I bought The Haunting Season when it was released in a couple of years ago, but have not managed to read it yet. I’m going to aim to read these 8 short stories over my two week holiday.

Is there a new release that you’re still waiting for?

Oh yes! There are some recently released books that I’m hoping to get for Christmas, but I’ve really been struggling with brain fog recently so I genuinely can’t remember most of the ones I’ve wished for -at least they’ll be surprises! The one I do remember as I want it to be my Christmas Day read is The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor.

What are three books you want to read before the year ends?

I’ve been lucky enough to get proof copies of three books which are released next year, and I’m excited to read them before the end of the year.

Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your favourite of the year?

I have read so many wonderful books this year – I think I’ve probably read my Book of the Year! The three that are vying for my favourite book of the year are Impossible Creatures, The Silver Road and Podkin and the Singing Spear. I will be attempting to compile a list of my Top 12 Books of the Year, but it will be very difficult as I’ve read lots of wonderful books this year. I don’t tend to include books being released next year on my Books of the Year if I’ve been lucky enough to get an early read.

Have you already started to make reading plans for 2024?

Oh yes! I did the #BeatTheBacklistChallenge this year and, although I didn’t manage to complete it, taking part did encourage me to catch up with lots of books on my bookshelves. I also really want to catch up with books in series next year.  I’m also intending to clear my NetGalley shelf: I have 7 books on it at the moment. 

Books which I’m really looking forward to (and which I have digital or physical copies of):

I’m also hoping to begin to make a dent in my growing TBR of adult reads. These are the ones I’m aiming to start with next year:

I’m not tagging anyone, but if you’d like to take part, I’d love to see your answers so feel free to link your post.  Have you read any of the books I’m aiming to read next year, especially the ones for adults – what did you think?Do you have any other recommendations?

Top Ten Tuesday

This is a weekly meme now hosted by That Artsy Girl Reader.  This week’s theme is Books On My Winter 2023-2024 To-Read List.

I’m looking forward to a break over the Christmas period, so I’m sharing some of the books I’m hoping to read over this time. The first 10 are middle-grade titles released next year (except for The Book of Secrets which has already been releaed), and the final two are adult books on my TBR.

What books have you on your Winter TBR? Are any of these included

12 children’s books with a snowy setting …

Last week, I shared some of my favourite books set during the Christmas period, so today I thought I’d share some of my absolute favourite books that have snowy settings …

Where I have written a blog post for a book, I have shared it alongside the synopsis from Waterstones.

When Tasha builds a snow girl with her grandpa, all she wants is for her to be real. If only wishes on snow could come true… Then Tasha meets Alyana, a friend made of wishes, starlight, snowfall and magic. But when your best friend is made of winter, what do you do when spring comes?

You can read my review here.

Barbegazi are fabled creatures who live in the alps, rather like gnomes. Tessa knows that they exist because her beloved grandfather told her about them. So she sets out to prove to her family and friends that her grandfather wasn’t just a confused old man. Soon she finds not only a family of Barbegazi but also a dastardly plot to kidnap one and keep it captive. But Tessa realises that uncovering the truth carries great responsibilities – and sometimes things have to remain a secret.

A young Viking girl is swept by a storm on to a desolate English
beach. Cruelly orphaned there, Ylva becomes set on revenge, tracking
a killer through dangerous hinterland.

She wants only the favour of the Norse gods and the comfort of
her stories. But when a stranger decides to protect Ylva –
seeming to understand her where others cannot – Ylva must
decide if her own legend will end in vengeance or forgiveness …

You can read my review here.

Way out in the furthest part of the known world, a tiny stronghold exists all on its own, cut off from the rest of human-kin by monsters that lurk beneath the Snow Sea. There, a little boy called Ash waits for the return of his parents, singing a forbidden lullaby to remind him of them… and doing his best to avoid his very, VERY grumpy yeti guardian, Tobu.

But life is about to get a whole lot more crazy-adventurous for Ash. When a brave rescue attempt reveals he has amazing magical powers, he’s whisked aboard the Frostheart, a sleigh packed full of daring explorers who could use his help. But can they help him find his family . . . ?

You can read my review here.

In the snowy kingdom of Erkenwald, whales glide between icebergs, wolves hunt on the tundra and polar bears roam the glaciers. But the people of this land aren’t so easy to find – because Erkenwald is ruled by an evil Ice Queen and the tribes must stay hidden or risk becoming her prisoners at Winterfang Palace.

Join Eska, a girl who breaks free from a cursed music box, and Flint, a boy whose inventions could change the fate of Erkenwald forever, as they journey to the Never Cliffs and beyond in search of an ancient, almost forgotten, song with the power to force the Ice Queen back.

Deep in the forest, magic is waiting . . .

Sparkling with frost and magic, Shadows of Winterspell will sweep you up in a world of friendship and magic, to uncover family secrets and find out who you really are.

Stella has been living behind the magic of the forest for most of her life. Lonely, she enrolls at the local school, and as she begins to make friends, she discovers that she is even more different than she thought. But as autumn turns to magical winter, Stella realizes that uncovering her own family secret is the only way to release the forest from the grip of a dark and old magic.

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him. Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?

Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems. Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?

You can read my review here.

When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent to stay with a kind professor who lives in the country, they can hardly imagine the extraordinary adventure that awaits them.

It all begins when the children explore the professor’s rambling old house. When they come across a room with an old wardrobe in the corner, Lucy opens the door and gets inside. To her amazement, she suddenly finds herself standing in a wood, with snowflakes falling through the air. Lucy has found Narnia, a magical land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals and the magnificent lion, Aslan. They are joined by the beautiful but evil White Witch, who has held the country in eternal winter for a hundred years.

You can read my review here.

It sounded like a respectable and worthy enough death for an explorer – tumbling from an ice bridge to be impaled upon a mammoth tusk – but Stella really, really didn’t want that to happen, just the same.

Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages . . .

When Stella and three other junior explorers get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?

Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora’s mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training. A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans.

When the murderous hostility of the Russian Army threatens her very existence, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back. And, of course, wolves.

Somewhere in the deep and frozen north is an island surrounded entirely by ice. The inhabitants love their snowstorm isle-with its scattered wooden cottages, its small patches of forest, and its single mountain peak. Most of all they love the magnificent ice bears that roam the streets, giving the island its name-The Isle of Bears.

Life with bears is dangerous, as Marv Jackson knows-the large crescent moon shaped scar on his face acts as a constant reminder of the night he survived a bear attack. But something tells him the legendary tale of that night, isn’t quite the full story, and that the truth lies with a mysterious skating girl and her magnificent polar bear.

Mila and her sisters live with their brother Oskar in a small forest cabin in the snow. One night, a fur-clad stranger arrives seeking shelter for himself and his men. But by the next morning, they’ve gone – taking Oskar with them.

Fearful for his safety, Mila and her sisters set out to bring Oskar back – even it means going north, crossing frozen wild-lands to find a way past an eternal winter.

Have you read any of these? Have you any other snowy setting recommendations?

Review: The Ice Children

The Ice Children is a magical, mesmerising, wintery read with a timely underlying ecological message, and is a story that completely captured me.

Five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city rose garden with his feet encased in a pedestal of ice.  Although he cannot be awoken, his heart is still beating, but can he be saved by the love of his older sister, Bianca, as she determines to investigate what has happened to him – and the other children who are appearing frozen.  Could it be something to do with a mysterious silver book and a group of strangers who rely on the coming of winter for their existence?  Bianca, using all her ingenuity and courage, finds herself in a beautiful and dangerous winter wonderland where she endeavours to save the ice children, and winter, before time runs out …

This is a stunning adventure – a modern fairytale – drawing on well-known tales including The Snow Queen and The Selfish Giant but with a fresh twist to include an important and timely ecological message.  I loved the setting of Winterton with its snow queen fortress, fairground, circus and companion creatures, especially the reindeer, Pordis.  Like all fairytales, the magic has an underlying darkness, but there is also hope that there can be a better future when action is taken. 

I found Bianca an incredibly sympathetic character who clearly loves her little brother and desperately wants him back home with her and their parents.  She is courageous, determined and empathetic and comes to understand that the ice children are not the only ones in danger of no longer existing in our world.  She shows kindness and understanding and brings hope when it appears to be lost.  I also loved that she believes in the power of stories to change the world!

The illustrations are absolutely stunning and add to the magical quality of the storytelling perfectly.

This is a truly mesmerising, magical modern fairytale that is just perfect for young children to enjoy this winter, hopefully whilst the snow swirls outside.

November Wrap-Up

Where did November go! I’ve been ridiculously busy at work this month and often working late in the evening with planning, so not as much reading done as I would have liked. I’m so glad I’ve made it a rule that I don’t work at the weekend, but I have now started a Christmas Movie Sunday afternoon, so only read in the morning.

Books I’ve read:

I’ve read 9 books this month which was a lot less than when I had half-term! I enjoyed all of these – the ones that really stood out for me were The Colour of Hope, Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild and Stitch.

Books sent by publishers:

I am grateful to have been sent 6 books by Publishers this month as well as a copy of Ember Spark, thanks to the kindness of two wonderful authors, Abi Elphinstone and Mel Taylor-Bessent.

NetGalley:

My Netgalley ratio is at 96%. I have five books on my shelf. I have read Stitch which is amazing and will hopefully find time to write my review this weekend. I have also been sent physical copies of three of these after I had requested them.

Books bought and gifted:

It was my birthday in November so I had some book presents but, as always, I also treated myself to some new books! I tend to ask mostly for adult/young adult books for my birthday and Christmas and buy children’s books myself.

How has your reading month been? Have you read any of these? Have you any of them on your TBR?

First Lines Friday

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?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

When the fairies arrived in Clonbridge town, the wind changed direction. It blew away the rain that had battered the town for weeks and brought with it a low, rolling mist and the promise of frost.

Any ideas?

Goodreads Synopsis:

For the first time in over fifty years, the Trooping Fairies arrive in the small town of Clonbridge for their annual revels. Their arrival awakens other creatures, who have mischief and chaos in mind. Cat Donnelly and her friends spend their final day of school before midterm break swapping scary stories and planning the ultimate trick-or-treating strategy. But with the Fairies back in town, this Halloween will be one where Cat has to face real danger and use all her wits and bravery to save those she loves.