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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I was so pleased to see a sequel to the original Greenwild adventure. I loved the lush setting of this world full of green magic and plants sprouting delicious treats. This time, readers are whisked away beneath the waves as Daisy and her friends seek out her kidnapped mother. “Daisy Thistledown is on a mission. … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Greenwild – the City Beyond the Sea,’ by Pari Thomson, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.
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.
Well there couldn’t be a better choice of read to usher in the advent of the Year of the Dragon! Paper Dragons is an intoxicating new adventure from Siobhan McDermott. Be sure to read Siobhan’s piece about how she developed the magical setting of Wengyuen. “An extraordinary destiny unfolds . . .Twelve-year-old Zhi Ging has … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Paper Dragons: The Fight for the Hidden Realm,’ by Siobhan McDermott, cover by Yuzhen Cai.
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.
At the moment, it would seem that children’s books steeped in African mythology are having a bit of a moment. This is very lucky for readers because wow, that’s a rich seam to mine! Adébísí’s Jujuland series is centred on West African lore and is jam-packed with feuding tribes, demons, and powerful magic. Make sure … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Kòkú Àkànbí and the Heart of Midnight,’ by Maria Motúnráyò Adébísí, illustrated by Simone Douglas.
Recently, the children I work with have become fascinated by a couple of old magic sets we have available for break times. Watching them try and master the ‘cup and ball’ trick or to guess my card has really brought home to me the power of magic to inspire awe and wonder. And those are … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Wonder Brothers,’ by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, illustrated by Steven Lenton.
Get ready to be whisked away to whole other world which hides, just out of sight, behind flowered curtains and mossy bowers… ‘Daisy Thistledown has escaped from boarding school and has a mystery to solve. Her search for her missing mother will lead her across London and through a hidden doorway to another world, filled … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Greenwild: The World Behind the Door,’ by Pari Thomson, cover by Elisa Paganelli.
I absolutely loved the first instalment of this series, Hedgewitch, so was delighted to receive a special goodie box from the lovely people at Welbeck Books to help celebrate the publication of Cassie’s next adventure - Woodwitch. ‘Cassie has settled into life in Hedgely when, out of the blue, her troubled cousin, Sebastian, comes to … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Woodwitch,’ by Skye McKenna, cover by Tomislav Tomic.
Looking for a new read featuring dark fae, activism, friendship, and activism? You will love the new title from H.S. Norup! ‘As soon as Alfred arrives at his granny's cottage, he feels like he's being watched. There are steep cliffs and dark forests all around, teeming with unfamiliar life - even odd little faerie creatures … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Into the Faerie Hill,’ by H.S. Norup, cover by Thy Bui.
I love the dimension-hopping element of Sinéad’s brilliant writing and was delighted to find it featuring in her newest title too. It was so interesting to read Sinéad’s piece about the inspirations behind The Time Tider - have you ever thought about who’s measuring time and why? ‘Mara and her dad have lived in their … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘The Time Tider,’ by Sinéad O’Hart.
Today I’m sharing a magical adventure with dragons, poachers, and wildsmith magic. The first in a new series suitable for readers aged 7+. I also have a special piece from Liz about where her story ideas come from. "When war threatens her beloved city, Rowan and her mother must flee to the Dark Forest. There … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest,’ by Liz Flanagan, cover by Joe Todd-Stanton.
If you are looking for a crisp, magical adventure to snuggle down with, look no further than the latest tale from Katherine Orton. Her writing is always exquisite and guaranteed to transport you right into the heart of the story. Katharine’s also written a special piece about what inspired the host of wonderful, fearsome creatures … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Mountainfell,’ by Katharine Orton, cover by Sandra Dieckmann.
I want to start with a disclaimer: Chris Riddell is my favourite illustrator and I’d buy any of his books just to pore over the illustrations. In fact, I preordered a copy of this from a bookshop who were lucky enough to have some of Chris’s beautiful illustrations to include them. Therefore, it is with … Continue reading Blog tour: ‘Tiggy Thistle and the Lost Guardians,’ by Chris Riddell.
There’s a fantastic variety of spooky books for older readers to enjoy, whether they prefer the silly side of Halloween or want proper bone-chilling scares. This post shares some of the newer titles I’ve been sent which are made for reading on a dark and stormy night! ‘Monday 17th JanuaryIt’s finally time for the school … Continue reading Halloween Reads (ages 7+)
Library Girl and Book Boy 