Review: The Day of the Jackdaw written by Jo Simmons and illustrated by Lee Cosgrove

*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.

Review: The River Spirit written by Lucy Strange and illustrated by Júlia Moscardó

*Written by Lucy Strange*
*Illustrated by Júlia Moscardó*
*Published by Barrington Sto*ke

The River Spirit is a powerful, poignant and hopeful story intertwining history and myth to create a richly atmospheric tale which completely entranced me.

Young chimney sweep Tom Waterman has started seeing strange things that should not be there: a soot monster in the chimney, fairies in the flowers by the river and the ghosts of dead ferrymen in the reeds. When Tom and his friends, Bert and Squirrel, are taken to the river by their cruel master, Mister Crow, for their weekly wash, he sees another supernatural being, a river spirit, but she is different to the other beings as she can be seen by Mister Crow and Tom’s friends.

After saving him from Mister Crow’s cruelty, Elle follows Tom, and is with him when he has to clean chimneys, filthy, soot-laden chimneys that are becoming too narrow for him to climb. His job is a dangerous one, and when Tom puts the safety of a new apprentice above his own, the purpose of Elle’s appearance becomes apparent …

This story does not shy away from the harsh reality of life for young chimney sweeps in 19^th century Britain. Tom and his friends are bought by a Master Sweep and become his property, and are denied their freedom as they are forced into a dangerous job which many do not survive. The children’s appalling living and working conditions portrays the heart-breaking reality of young children forced into child labour as they are poor, orphaned or have had to become money-earners to support their family. This historical background will open up discussions about child labour in 19^th century Britain and encourage empathy both for children in this historical period, but also open opportunities to discuss modern-day child labour.

My heart ached for Tom as he daydreams of a life before his freedom was taken from him when he was six, bought from the Poor House, and forced to work as a climbing boy by a harsh master who cares nothing for his apprentices’ wellbeing. Tom, a ferryman’s son, never forgets where his true home is and the importance of his name, and feels close to home when he is washing in the river where he first meets Elle. He longs for the freedom of the river, yet is trapped in exploitation by a terrifyingly cruel owner. Tom is such an empathetic young boy, showing kindness, friendship and protection towards others. Tom’s decision to protect a new apprentice is a catalyst for change, and his courage brings hope of a better life for others.

The illustrations are stunning and perfectly capture both the ethereal elements of the story and the heart-breaking reality of life for young chimney sweeps.

The River Spirit is a heart-rending novella portraying the dreadful working and living conditions faced by young children in 19^th century Britain, but it is also a story of friendship, kindness and hope.

This book is published by the wonderful Barrington Stoke who publish dyslexia-friendly, super-readable and accessible books for children of all ages. This is suitable for 9+ with a reading age of 8.

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

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.