Next up is BLUE. Always a popular colour for middle grade book covers…

The World According to Sharks

“This is a laugh-out-loud guide to the weird and wonderful world of sharks – from sharks that can walk on land, to sharks that glow in the dark, to sharks that fart to swim deeper (yes, really).

Did you know…

• There’s a species of shark that can swim faster than a jet ski?
• Or that some sharks like eating vegetables?
• Or that playing ‘Baby Shark’ is the most effective way to annoy a shark?

(OK, maybe that last one isn’t scientifically proven…)

From the creators of popular webcomic The Life of Sharks, this is a funny and almost 100% factual guide to the ocean’s most misunderstood creature.”

Information books which use humour and eye-catching visuals to explain and inform are always hugely popular with young readers. Add one of the ocean’s greatest predators into the mix and you have yourself a hit!

Supa Nova

“Meet Nova! She’s a scientist. Some people say she’s a genius. Some people even call her Supa Nova – get it? Like a supernova. Basically she’s a huge star, exploding right at you with her adventures!

When Nova invents a plastic-eating monster, she thinks she’s solved the world’s pollution problem. But she doesn’t expect her monster to start rampaging through the city! Can Nova find a way to save the day?”

This is an excellent graphic novel series for slighter younger readers, with its target market being aged 7+ Nova is a fantastic role model for aspiring scientists – her mind is full of inventions and her adventures full of hilarity.

Back of the Net

“Eva’s football skills make her stand out while playing at break-time at school, so her friends can’t understand why she’s reluctant to join them in playing for their local team, the Lightmoor Lionesses.

Horribly bullied at her last school due to a painful skin condition, Eva is terrified that the same thing will happen again if her new friends find out. Her instinct is to hide away, but can she find the courage to take to the field and play the game she loves?”

This is another of Barrington Stoke’s brilliantly accessible and engaging books written by a fantastic author – Eve Ainsworth’s stories always have interesting and challenging themes at their heart, balanced by a gripping story and hope.

Postman Planet

“Postman Planet has a big secret. LOOK AWAY NOW IF YOU CAN’T KEEP SECRETS. Although he PRETENDS to be the best postman in the Universe, he’s actually only nine. Anyway, he’s on a mission to make an essential delivery to the Planet of Fluffy Unicorns: an inflatable planet that is, as we speak, deflating. It’s up to Postman Planet and his ANNOYING new assistant Stamp, who is part-robot part-dog, to save the day.”

The first in a great series for newly confident readers. An accessible blend of short chapters, plenty of hilarious illustrations, and a plot which will have you laughing out loud. Great for anyone aged 6+

Royal Institute of Magic: The Silver Dwarf

“To most, he’s a talented apprentice and an exceptional spell shooter, but Ben is also a Guardian, responsible for uniting Elizabeth’s Armour, the only artefact powerful enough to overthrow the evil dark elves. With two pieces of the armour secure, finding the third may be Ben’s toughest challenge yet. His only clue is a magical key, a tenuous link to a legend called the Silver Dwarf. With the dark elves slowly conquering the Unseen Kingdoms, Ben races against time to gather the pieces of armour and unite the Guardians entrusted with them. If that wasn’t hard enough, new challenges and old enemies await him at the Institute, and his friendship will be tested like never before.”

A fabulous contemporary magical series – I’ve already reviewed this one more fully HERE.

One Extra Sparkle: Ellie and the Marriage List

“Ellie is ready to have the best summer ever. She’s especially excited to draw under her favourite tree and hang out with her big brother, Ben. But all Ben seems to care about is impressing the new lip-glossy neighbour, Sara. And all Sara seems to care about is turning Ellie’s brother into a Hawaii husband! 

Luckily, Ellie’s best friend, Ling, has the marriage list―a top-secret tool to track the lovebirds and stop a wedding before it starts. But nothing goes to plan, and while trying to rescue Ben, Ellie ends up putting the weeping willow in her garden in danger. Faced with losing everything she loves most, can Ellie find a way to win back her brother and save her beloved tree?”

It’s great to see Lantana Publishing producing this empathic and sensitively-written series following Ellie, a ten-year-old with Downs Syndrome. This story features themes of loss, misunderstandings and forgiveness.

The Children of Wolf Rock

“High in the mountains of western Scotland, there is a loch, and on its shores there is a castle, and in that castle there is a school . . .

Stormy Loch Academy is like no other teaching establishment. For one, its headmaster, Major Fortescue, believes in sharing the beauty of the world with his students, so that they will have the courage to fight for it.

For Minna, Kass and Tom it proves to be the safe haven from their chaotic home lives, giving them all a chance to breathe freely, and to roam the valleys and lakes on their doorstep.

But then they come across Addie, an older ex-student, hiding out in the wild, with only her guitar and her dog for company . . .

At first they believe her stories, but when she goes missing, the lies she has told start to emerge.

With Addie at risk, Minna, Kass and Tom must travel to London to uncover her past. The journey is dangerous, especially for those so young . . . But these are the children of Stormy Loch, and bravery and adventure runs through their bones.”

I really enjoy Natasha Farrant’s writing. She always writes the most wonderful, warm-hearted adventures with children at the centre. The spectacular setting of Stormy Loch Academy made me wish I was there with Minna and her collection of unlikely friends.

Megalomaniacs: The Invasion Begins

“There are three things you need to know about Megalomaniacs:

– They are TERRORS from outer space!
– There are LOADS of them!
– They are TINY!

Bobbletown is under attack – from the cutest, silliest and zaniest alien invasion EVER! The super-powered Megalomaniacs have crash-landed, and they’re going to do their very best to take over planet Earth! That is, if they don’t get in each other’s way first . . .”

This alien-invasion story is every bit as funny, crazy and exuberant as you would expect from one of the masters of graphic novel creation – Jamie Smart. Fans will immediately recognise his distinctive artwork and story-telling style.

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This collection has something for everyone and definitely won’t leave you feeling blue!

Jo.

*Many thanks to all the publishers who sent me these titles to review*