Review: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein abridged for Young Readers by Lucy Strange

*Abridged for Young Readers by Lucy Strange*
*Cover and interior illustrations by Kristina Kister*
*Published by Walker Books*

Frankenstein: Abridged for Young Readers is a powerful and masterful abridgement of this classic gothic tale of ambition, abandonment, vengeance and love, an incredibly emotional story that absolutely gripped me from start to finish.

On an ambitious expedition to the North Pole, Captain Robert Walton rescues a young man desperate to find someone who he has been pursuing … and so we learn the tragic tale of Victor Frankenstein and that of his creation …

Victor was brought up in a loving household with his parents, their adopted daughter and two younger brothers. Following the death of his mother, he travels to Germany to study, a place where he develops a keen interest in chemistry and an obsession to discover the mysteries of creation. His fascination with life and death leads him to create new life … but the creature disgusts him and he immediately abandons his creation to fend for itself …

The repercussions of this split-second decision will haunt Victor for the rest of his life as the creature that he has created and rejected becomes the monster he both fears and loathes. As the creature seeks to form bonds and find a place in the world, it can find no succour and is only ever met with fear and loathing by others, even when the deeds it performs show that it is capable of goodness and kindness. Being denied basic human connection and comfort leads to a craving for vengeance against its maker with the most heart-breaking consequences.

I was absolutely gripped by this story from start to finish, a classic masterfully re-told with such quality of language and depth of emotion that I found myself completely lost in the story, my heart at times aching for both Victor and his creation but also despairing and angered by their intentions and actions.

I think the themes in this story transcend time through its exploration of universal human experiences, offering some wonderful opportunities for discussion. Who is the real monster of the story? Was this creature born a monster or was it made into one by its experiences? What would have happened if Victor had not negated his responsibility towards his creation? The story serves as a timely reminder of what happens when individualistic ambition runs unchecked with a disregard for ethical considerations.

A poignant and powerful abridgement of this classic story, perfect for young readers of 10+.

Thank you to Walker Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Blitzers written by Alastair Chisholm and illustrated by Francesca Ficorilli

*Written by Alastair Chisholm*
*Illustrated by Francesca Ficorilli*
*Published by Barrington Stoke (an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)*

Blitzers is a high-octane, sci-fi adventure that crackles with fast-paced action, danger and discoveries in a world of virtual reality and real-life daring.

Danny has finally got his hands on the latest tech-craze gadget, a Blitzer which links to a unique creature, trained by its owner and sent into fights against other creatures in a virtual reality online world. But when Danny discovers that his creature, Chew Lip, does not want to fight, he wonders if the Blitzer given to him by his brother could be a fake or faulty. Both his best friend, Tan, and school bully, Mel are unimpressed by his creature but Danny is determined to train him and prove them wrong.

Danny’s obsession with proving himself through the success of his virtual creature leads him into an online community of Blitzer players where the overwhelming advice is to be aggressive and controlling towards the creature in order to assert dominance, something that begins to show with Danny’s behaviour in the real world.

But when something which should have been impossible happens with Chewy, Danny tries a different approach which proves a catalyst that puts him and his friends in danger. Can he discover what the Blitzers really are? Can he put a stop to a terrifying secret operation? And can he save his best friend from being lost to him?

This is a brilliantly action-packed, gripping and thought-provoking adventure that deals with a range of issues including bullying, toxic masculinity, the impact of online influencers, the ethics of big tech and the potential addictive nature of gaming. But I also think that this is brilliantly balanced with positive role models, especially in Danny’s older brother, with fighting against influences that impact in a negative way and with empathising with others. As well as being a story children will enjoy reading and discussing with their friends, I think it would be a wonderful class or reading group read with those at the top end of Key Stage 2 and into Key Stage 3 due to its rich potential for much-needed discussion of issues which really impact on children’s lives.

The full-and-partial-page illustrations throughout are fantastic, complementing the themes and fast-paced action, in this story perfectly.

An exciting, compelling sci-fi adventure that will prove a real winner with children of 9+.

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

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.

Review: The World’s Worst Alien

*Written by Alice Primmer*
*Illustrations by Fred Blunt*
*Published by Walker Books*

The World’s Worst Alien is a fantastically funny, zany adventure that kept me giggling, and sometimes pondering, throughout as I followed alien, and world-creator, Sky on her month-long mission to save her project from pesky humans.

So, you think you know how Earth was created? Well, think again! We are actually the end-result of a school project created by an interdimensional being (a.k.a an alien) who wanted to move from bottom to top of the class! And Sky was certain – well, almost – certain of success if only evolution hadn’t seen the dinosaurs being replaced with humans. And they just happened to be ruining her creation so, in an effort to rescue her project, Sky decides she has no choice other than to visit Earth to fix her project – something that will actually require her to do something she really doesn’t enjoy: make an effort.

When she arrives in London, Sky finds herself walking in to Oak Lane Primary School as a Year 6 pupil with the intention of becoming a Youtube Influencer as she is sure these are the people who can change the world. She soon meets Zana who offers to help her with creating a Youtube Channel, but it is not long before she is getting her new friend (whatever one of those is), and herself, into all sorts of trouble …

And so begins a brilliantly funny adventure as Sky begins her month-long mission to save the world she has created by replacing humans with a much-more deserving successor. But what if the humans have something to teach Sky, something about the value of friendship, something about determination and effort, and something about the power of a few to make a big difference for many …

There is no doubt that Sky is incredibly honest in front of both adults and her classmates as she doesn’t have any pre-conceptions of how she should behave which leads to lots of incongruous situations, misunderstandings and oodles of humour. It also leads to her sometimes coming across as uncaring, but is that something that can change as she learns more about human emotions, and opens herself up to these, as she connects with Zana and the members of the Eco Club? Will what she learns about humans in the microcosm of the Oak Lane Primary School community change her mind about replacing them in her project?

I really enjoyed the environmental focus in this adventure which shows that a few can make a real difference and, when people come together, they can effect change for the better. What a wonderful message for children to learn!

The illustrations throughout are absolutely brilliant and really complement the action, energy and humour in this wonderful story.

Could the world’s worst alien just make the best difference when she comes to visit her school project? A wonderfully humorous adventure for readers of 8+.

Thank you to Walker Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: After by Pádraig Kenny

*Written by Pádraig Kenny*
*Cover and chapter illustrations by* *Steve McCarthy*
*Published by Walker Books on 6th March*

After is a powerful, thought-provoking dystopian sci-fi adventure with the ties of humanity, the strength of community and the promise of hope at its heart. This is a story that held me utterly enthralled and will undoubtedly be one of my books of the year.

Jen loves libraries and stories, but the one she is most interested in is a true one – even though it is a story that terrifies her: the story of how the world ended. Father tells her of the destruction of habitats, human over-reliance on technology and the return to the Dark Ages after the Flood, an apocalyptic event that decimated both civilisation and technology.

Father and Jen have been on their own ever since he found Jen as a baby and took her under his protection. They survive in a desolate, almost-deserted world by finding food and shelter and avoiding the scavengers who drove them from their previous home.

When travelling towards a new home, they arrive at a town where they meet two others who are part of a small community where they are welcomed as new members. But Father has a secret: he is not human, but a humanoid AI who somehow survived the Flood. Can Jen keep Father’s secret from her new friends because, if it were revealed, she is in danger of losing the place she has come to think of as home …

This is a story that completely gripped me both as an exciting, heart-pounding survival adventure brimming with danger, secrets and revelations, and as a story exploring what it means to be human, the nature of love and belonging, and whether the real danger in technological advancement lies with created or creator. These themes would open fascinating discussions in both homes and classrooms.

This is a story that evokes strong emotions: I could absolutely feel the hope and love, the painful decisions and the need for connection – and the ending made me smile through my tears – just perfect – as were the final illustrations. There is such power in words – the power to connect and divide, the power to hurt and heal and the power to bring hope when the world seems lost. Books like this incredible story are so needed in our world right now (and not just for children) and there was one sentence said by a character at the end of this story that still bring tears as I write and I think those are tears of hope.

Whilst Jen and Father are not biologically related, it is clear that there is a strong father-daughter bond between them which I found incredibly moving. Father has a powerful instinct to protect Jen and give her what she needs to survive, both physically and emotionally, even when this means withholding the truth and taking heart-breaking decisions and risks. Jen is a wonderful young girl who is kind-hearted, curious and determined and, whilst she is happy with Father, she also has a natural human need to connect with others and feel a sense of belonging which leads her to make to make some painful decisions.

The chapter heading and page illustrations are stunning and complement this intriguing, breathtaking story perfectly.

An exceptional sci-fi adventure pulsating with hope, connection and love – a captivating story that I cannot recommend highly enough to readers of 9+.

Thank you to Walker Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Graphic Novel Review: The Adventures of Invisible Boy by Doogie Horner

*Written and illustrated by Doogie Horner*
*Published by Scholastic*
*Published on 4th January*

The Adventures of Invisible Boy is a full-colour graphic novel which begins the adventures of a wonderful new superhero, and I have no doubt that children of 8+ will be keen to follow his first incredible adventure – and will be eager for more!

Eugene is working hard on his entry for the science fair, something he needs to keep secret from his parents as they don’t approve of his inventions. But he is hoping that, after he wins the science fair, he will be allowed to invent again.

Meanwhile, Stanley is worried about starting a new school in the middle of the year – what if he can’t make new friends? When he accidentally knocks over a potion at the science fair, something happens that will change his life: he is invisible! And the last place he intends to stay is in school … he’s off to have some fun!

But, when Stanley discovers that the creator of the potion has also turned invisible and he is out to cause trouble, Stanley decides that he must use his new powers to fight back – to become a superhero! Can Invisible Boy defeat the new supervillain in town? And, of course, every superhero needs a sidekick and what an unexpected, but brilliant, one he finds!

This is such a fun adventure with oodles of humour and mayhem as Stanley learns to use his new power; as he finds himself facing trouble in his efforts to help others; and, as he battles to defeat his would-be nemesis. There are so many cool inventions shared throughout the adventure and I can just imagine children wanting to use them – and maybe even come up with their own inventions!

This is also a story that lots of children will be able to relate to, or which will encourage empathy as it deals with issues such as worries about starting a new school, making new friends and loneliness.

The full-colour illustrations are brilliant and complement the action, humour and mayhem perfectly.

This is a fantastic first adventure for Invisible Boy, and is one that I know my class are going to love.

Thank you to Scholastic for sending me an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

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.