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.
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.
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.
If you’re looking for a way to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, may I recommend the really quite extraordinary ‘Shrapnel Boys.’ “There's a war going on out there, and I'm missing it. When war comes to London in 1939, Ronnie Smith is scared and excited: scared of the bombs that fall at night, … Continue reading ‘Shrapnel Boys,’ by Jenny Pearson, cover by Tom Clohosy Cole.
I’m on a bit of a ‘magical adventure’ streak at the moment so ‘School of Fireflies’ was just the ticket. What’s I particularly like about this title is that it has a host of ethnically diverse character which can sometimes be lacking in stories like this. "The grown-ups aren't telling us the whole story, so … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘School for Fireflies,’ by Erica Gomez, cover by Simone Smith.
My first read of 2025 was a new middle grade mystery from BookTrust’s Writer in Residence, Patrice Lawrence. You know that you’re going to get a quality reading experience when you crack open one of Patrice’s novels so I went in with high hopes (especially as other bookish people had said how good it was!) … Continue reading ‘People Like Stars,’ by Patrice Lawrence, cover by Michelle Brackenborough.
Today's my stop on the blog tour for the final instalment of Jennifer's 'Witches' trilogy. If you haven't already read them, make sure you find yourselves copies of 'The October Witches' and 'The November Witches' to read first. You can get to know the characters ahead of time by reading Jennifer's exclusive piece about the … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The December Witches,’ by Jennifer Claessen.
Introducing ‘How to be a Revolutionary,’ a great introduction to the world of politics for middle grade readers wrapped up in a compelling story of blended families, fighting for a cause, and hope. Be sure to read Lucy’s exclusive piece about why she decided to write this wonderful book! “What do you all come here … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘How to be a Revolutionary,’ by Lucy Ann Unwin, cover by Selom Sunu.
Today, I’ve been Time Travelling With a Tortoise as I join Al on a mission to set right the ripples his time-travelling escapades have caused in the multiverse. A great sequel to Time Travelling With a Hamster by @rosswelford Cover by #TomClohosyCole “Al Chaudhury travelled back in time to save his father’s life. And it … Continue reading Holiday Reads: ‘Time Travelling With a Tortoise,’ by Ross Welford.
My first holiday read was this whimsical tale from Hilary McKay. Featuring cats, magic, and the beautiful city of Venice, there is so much to enjoy. I’d like a second instalment to see what happens next for Rosa. #RosaByStarlight ✨ Gorgeous cover & illustrations by @keithrobinson.illustrator @macmillankidsuk “Rosa lives in a world where she discovers … Continue reading Holiday reads: ‘Rosa by Starlight,’ by Hilary McKay.
Are you looking for a super-smart whodunnit for tween readers? Look no further than the latest thrilling title from Sharna Jackson! “Last night Wesley and his friends Josephine and Margot threw their neighbour Rachel a surprise birthday party. This morning, Rachel is dead. And Wesley is the one who finds her body. Rachel's friends throw a … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Nine Night Mystery,’ by Sharna Jackson, cover by Bex Glendining.
Polly Ho-Yen is an author whom you can trust to write stories you are going to want to read. They have such heart and always leave me thinking. ‘The Last Dragon’ is no exception. “Yara has only glimpsed the last dragon on Earth twice. She’s got other things to worry about: her sister is in … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Last Dragon,’ by Polly Ho-Yen, illustrated by Charis Loke.
I love Catherine’s writing so was excited to have been sent an early copy of this to read back in March. However, it is just about to fly the Nosy Crow nest and out into the world for everyone else to get swept away with. “After the tragic death of his mother, eleven year old … Continue reading ‘Bird Boy,’ by Catherine Bruton, cover by Oriol Vidal.
Lucy Strange is one of those authors whose books always get moved straight to the top of my ‘to be read’ pile. Imagine my delight when a rather special package dropped through my letterbox… “Abandoned at a boarding school on a bleak and remote Scottish island, Faye discovers that she and the other pupils have … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Island at the Edge of Night,’ by Lucy Strange.
A crumbling mansion, a powerful magic source, and stone gargoyles that come to life? Just some of the ingredients for a fantastic read. Do you think you have what it takes to become a guardian? Read author Tamsin Mori’s special piece about the skills you’ll need… “A crumbling mansion A magical source A living gargoyle … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Gargoyles: Guardian of the Source,’ by Tamsin Mori, cover by David Dean.
Sometimes books come along that you know you are going to want to read in peace, which is precisely why I saved this book to enjoy as soon as the Easter holidays started. Any new title from Lucy Strange immediately jumps to the top of my ‘to be read’ pile. I love her seamless blend … Continue reading ‘The Island at the Edge of the Night,’ by Lucy Strange, cover by Katie Hickey.
There are far too few middle grade titles where gymnastics takes centre stage. I have been on the look out for my niece who is a fantastic gymnast but in haven’t been able find very much. Luckily, I shall now be able to recommend ‘Winner Takes Gold’! “Young gymnast Pearl dreams of winning gold in … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Winner Takes Gold,’ by Eloise Smith, cover illustrated by Natalie Smillie.
I think anybody with an interest in the world of children’s books will probably be very eagerly awaiting the Spring publication of ‘Keedie,’ the prequel to McNicoll’s barn-storming debut novel, ‘A Kind of Spark.’ ‘A Kind of Spark’ was, for me, in the first wave of real voices stories which featured neurodiverse characters written authentically … Continue reading ‘Keedie’ by Elle McNicoll, cover by Kay Wilson.
One of the things I love most about Autumn is the opportunity to cwtch up with a good book and a blanket so it seems very apt that I have a special post from author, Jennifer Claessen featuring her top tips for a cosy read. I have been very much looking forward to catching up … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘November Witches,’ by Jennifer Claessen, cover by Heidi Cannon.
Library Girl and Book Boy 