These titles are longer chapter books often with more challenging themes and plotlines. Best-suited to more confident readers aged 9+
Magical fantasy is, by far, one of my favourite middle grade genres which is why I was very excited to read the fourth addition to the Royal Institute of Magic series. And why I was very disappointed in myself for not already having read the previous three instalments! Fortunately, this did not make any difference … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Royal Institute of Magic – The Siver Dwarf,’ by Victor Kloss, cover by Helge Vogt.
Grassy GREEN is the next colour on our rainbow journey… Crow Thief of Magic “Twelve-year-old Crow is a thief. Scraping a living on the winding streets of Starsgard, Crow works for the leader of the criminal underworld, stealing from the city’s wealthy ruling class. But when a routine job takes Crow to the home of … Continue reading Keen to be GREEN
I would like to introduce you to the world’s greatest (and most sophisticated) mouse detective: Monsieur Mustard - star of a brand new, highly-illustrated detective series for readers ages 7+ to enjoy. “One evening, way past your bedtime, all was quiet in the city of Bath. Fabio Fangtooth was finishing his alphabet soup. When suddenly … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Monsieur Mustard: The Disappearance of Fabio Fangtooth,’ by Charley Rabbit.
I’m thrilled to be sharing a brand new, out-of-this-world adventure from Hannah Moffatt. Make sure you scroll down to read her insightful piece about the childhood memories which inspired this bodacious story of wish-fulfilment and honouring a grandparent’s memory. “HELP! ALIEN PIRATES STOLE MY GRANDAD! is an intergalactic adventure that asks a lot of BIG questions: … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Help! Aliens Stole my Grandad,’ by Hannah Moffatt, illustrated by Rory Walker.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to the madcap mash-up I never thought I’d see: a tiny Viking warrior and a legendary mind-reading unicorn! “Velda is a tiny warrior with a big axe and an even bigger attitude. Some people don't think girls can be proper Vikings. Velda doesn't agree! When Velda's beloved axe is taken hostage … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Velda the Awesomest Viking and the Wild Unicorn Chase,’ by David MacPhail, illustrated by Richard Morgan.
One of the great things about the Easter holidays is having the opportunity to spend a large proportion of day catching up with some of the new titles you’ve been sent to review. As soon as ‘Witch Light’ arrived, it jumped to the top of my pile as I loved its predecessor, ‘Deep Dark’ (you … Continue reading ‘Witch Light,” by Zohra Nabi, illustrated by Paola Escobar.
Now that secondary places have been allocated for September, you might be looking for some books to support making that tricky transition from KS2 to KS3. ‘The Overthinkers’ Club’ perfectly taps into the themes of tween anxiety, friendship dramas, and relationships in a hilarious and accessible format. “Birdie is an overthinker, and she has a lot to overthink. … Continue reading ‘The Overthinkers’ Club: Happy List,’ by Nat Luurtsema, illustrated by Cécile Dormeau.
I’ve just spent the past day reading this thrilling Arctic adventure and wanted to share it with you. “After millennia, mammoths have returned, brought back by scientists to help combat climate change. Ash Grimes, born and raised at the Arctic research centre responsible, dreams of becoming a Mammoth Rider, just like her dad. But mammoths … Continue reading ‘Mammoth Rider,’ by S.J. Poynton, cover by Johanna Tarkela.
If you’re looking for a new read to settle down with, look no further than Judith Eagle’s wonderful new piece of historical fiction. “War has been declared and the lives of three sisters, Lydia, Peggy and Teddy, are about to be turned upside down. As bombs rain down on London, the girls will lose their … Continue reading ‘The Blitz Sisters,’ by Judith Eagle, cover by Chantal Horeis.
In case you don’t know, Barrington Stoke are an amazing publisher who collaborates with some of the top children’s literature authors and illustrators. They specialise in creating short, snappy reads printed in a dyslexia-friendly format. I love their titles and recommend them all the time to absolutely everyone! They are marketed for dyslexic readers and … Continue reading A Barrington Stoke Bonanza
If you’re after a festive read with a twist, look no further…, “When Masen, Conor and Joss wake up in the caravan on Christmas morning, a chill of unease fills the air. Their presents sit untouched in the house across the way, but their parents are nowhere to be found. Outside, a blizzard rages. Families … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Silent Night,’ by Emma Read, cover by Tom Clohosy Cole.
Let me introduce you to something truly terrifying… “If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a nasty surprise … Seeking creepy thrills instead of candy, Cody and his friends set out on Halloween to search for the ruins of the haunted McBride House in the woods near his home in Oregon. … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Last Day of October,’ by Phil Hickes, illustrated by Oriol Vidal.
If you are looking for a story which is part Wind in the Willows and part Sherlock Holmes, look no further than this fiendish mystery from the wonderfully-named Charlie Nutbrown. Be sure to read Charlie’s special piece about why he loves animal stories. “Monty the fox has a dream - but that's nothing new. Monty … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Feathered Book,’ by Charlie Nutbrown, cover by Holly Ovenden.
Introducing the sequel to the award-winning ‘The Deepest Breath.’ Written as a verse novel with dual narrators, readers will love this sensitive exploration of LGBTQ+ relationships and starting high school. Meg has also written a special piece for this blog reflecting on her journey from starting ‘The Deepest Breath’ to finishing ‘The Brightest Star’ and … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Brightest Star,’ by Meg Grehan.
We’re back adventuring with Saga after her environmental triumph in ‘Into the Faerie Hill.’ You don’t need to have read this to enjoy Norup’s sequel - The Changeling Child. “Twelve years ago, a child vanished from his cradle. He was never seen nor spoken of again. Saga is desperate to discover what happened - did … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Changeling Child,’ by H.S. Norup, cover by Thy Bui.
The transition from Year 6 into Year 7 is and exciting (and possibly worrying) time in any young person’s life. Luckily, there are so many good books out there which can help guide them through the highs and lows of life as small fish in a big pond. Below is a selection of some that … Continue reading Moving Up (to Secondary School)
Today I’m sharing a brand new middle grade title from the wonderful Susie Bower. Just as magical and intently woven as her previous titles - readers are in for a treat! “A magical kingdom. Four friends. One terrible mistake... In the Land of Magic, four friends live a life filled with wonder. But there's one … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Invisibles,’ by Susie Bower, cover by Thy Bui.
Introducing the final instalment in Pari Thomson’s award-winning Greenwild trilogy. Daisy and her friends have travelled from Kew Gardens, across the oceans, and finally to the Amazon Rainforest in the hopes of rescuing all they hold dear. Make sure you read the exclusive piece from Pari on writing about the environment for young readers! “With … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky,’ by Pari Thomson, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.
Introducing the third title in Baker’s ‘Whistledown Farm’ series, where Ava and the farm’s animal inhabitants move into Summer. One of a cosy collection of farmyard adventures inspired by life on her Chiltern Hills smallholding. “It's summer at Whistledown Farm and there's plenty for Ava to do – from helping to shear the sheep to … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Meeting Meg,’ by Nicola Baker, illustrated by Rachael Dean.
Library Girl and Book Boy 