'You are cordially invited to attend the grand opening of Sinclair's Department Store.' This is the first in a brilliant series of mystery books set around the magnificent Sinclair's Department Store. To enter Sinclair's is to enter a world of perfumed air, bonbons, elegant clothes and murder! Just before the grand opening of London's newest … Continue reading ‘The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow,by Katherine
I was very excited when I discovered that Macmillan's Children's Books were publishing a new hardback edition of this book. I have very fond memories of listening to this on story cassette when I was little. Gobbolino was born in the darkness of a witch's cave but was miserable with his job of being a … Continue reading ‘Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat,’ by Ursula Moray Williams, illustrated by Catherine Rayner.
I've shared the picture books that my nearest and dearest can expect to receive this year, now here are my purchases for older readers... Santa Claude by Alex.T.Smith My favourite dog and his sock sidekick, Sir Bobblysock, are back in a festive adventure. Upon hearing a strange noise in their chimney, Claude and Sir Bobblysock … Continue reading Cracking Christmas Reads!
Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot... I am very excited to feature 'Black Powder' on the blog as I'm lucky enough to have Ally Sherrick visiting my school to work with Year 5 very soon. Watch out for a special post next week! This explosive novel whisks the reader back in … Continue reading ‘Black Powder, ‘ by Ally Sherrick, illustrated by Alexis Snell.
Alma Classics have sent me this lovely re-illustrated version of a childhood classic - The Railway Children. After the unexpected disappearance of their father, Bobbie, Phyllis and Peter have to leave their comfortable lives in London to move to a small cottage in the countryside with their mother. As mother struggles to make ends meet by writing … Continue reading ‘The Railway Children,’ by E. Nesbit, illustrated by Peter Bailey.
Get ready for the second thrilling instalment of the gadget-packed series - 'The Inventory' as it's my stop on the blog tour. In this sequel to 'The Iron Fist,' Dev and his friends (Lot and Mason) are having their skills tested as they're sent to chase down one of the Double Helix's henchmen with a … Continue reading ‘The Inventory – Gravity,’ by Andy Briggs.
I am absolutely delighted to welcome the magnificent Lou Kuenzler to the blog as part of her 'Finding Black Beauty' blog tour - a beautiful version of the classic 'Black Beauty' with a twist. As well as getting read and review her book, I got to ask Lou about where her desire to work with … Continue reading ‘Finding Black Beauty.’
Nothing beats a good scare at Halloween so what better than to curl up on a dark and stormy night and enjoy a beastly book by candlelight..... 1. Bella Broomstick - Halloween Havoc (by Lou Kuenzler, illustrated by Kyan Cheng) Bella's best friend Esme, and the rest of Merrytown, are getting ready for a wicked … Continue reading Halloween Spooktacular!
Welcome to my stop on the 'Chasing Danger - Mystery at the Ice Hotel' blog tour. You are lucky enough to have reviews of both action-packed adventures in this new series from the fabulous Sara Grant. Book 1 - 'Chasing Danger.' In the first instalment in the series we are introduced to Chase (aka Charlotte) as she is seemingly abandoned … Continue reading ‘Chasing Danger,’ by Sara Grant
I AM FEARLESS. I AM FOX. Welcome to the magical world of the fantastic Foxcraft series by Inbali Iserles. Foxcraft - The Taken (book 1) Isla and her brother, Pirie, spend their days blissfully happy. They play, romp and stalk through the woods and fields surrounding their den - taking care not to bump into … Continue reading ‘Foxcraft,’ by Inbali Iserles
I know you'll all be clamouring to read the 100% official debut book from Amy Lee, creator of a hugely popular YouTube channel and a Minecraft maestro. This super-shiny book is absolutely crammed full of a huge range of activities based around Amy Lee and her YouTube friends. There's colouring, quizzes, crafting, character profiles, puzzles … Continue reading ‘The Magical World of Amy Lee,’ from Scholastic.
Jim is back in another death-defying (literally) adventure that will make you laugh your socks off! Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride! Jim Wimple has just about come to terms with the fact that his father is, in fact, the Grim Reaper and not an accountant as he had previously believed. To help him … Continue reading ‘Jim Reaper – Saving Granny Maggot,’ by Rachel Delahaye, illustrated by Jamie Littler.
There's been a lot of publicity recently, aimed at encouraging girls to pursue careers involving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.) This post celebrates all things 'girl power' as I review some of the titles I've been sent which focus on inspirational women and breaking down stereotypes. But don't worry - they're funny, endearing and … Continue reading Girl Power! ft. ‘Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World,’ and ‘Ada Twist, Scientist.’
Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour for the daring 'Poppy Pym and the Double Jinx' by Laura Wood and thank you to Scholastic for inviting me to take part. Double, double, toil and trouble.... Mystery is afoot in the sleepy town of Brimwell so naturally, Poppy and her friends decide to investigate. But … Continue reading ‘Poppy Pym and the Double Jinx,’ by Laura Wood.
In futuristic Hong Kong, Nat Walker (an orphan heiress) lives on a junk boat with her robot dragon and legal guardian. Nat spends her time zooming through Hong Kong's crowded highways on her slider (electronic hover board), racing between school, home and martial arts lessons. Life becomes more complicated when her guardian, Jamuka, suddenly gets … Continue reading ‘Crimson Poison,’ by Susan Moore.
Everyone knows the famous story of the man-cub Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the jungles of India. This new edition from Alma Classics contains all the Jungle Books and added bonus material for young readers. If if you enjoyed the real-life action film version which has just been released on DVD (or love … Continue reading ‘The Jungle Books,’ by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Ian Beck.
Set in murky Victorian London, this story follows Rose Campion, adopted daughter of Thomas Campion (owner of Campion's Palace of Variety and Wonders), as she tries to unravel a series of mysteries and deadly coincidences. Rose was abandoned on the doorstep of Campion's Music Hall as a baby and she loves it there - the greasepaint, … Continue reading ‘Rose Campion and the Stolen Secret,’ by Lyn Gardner.
The front cover of this book oozed magic and mystery to me, so I was thrilled to get hold a copy to review. Upon opening the book, I wasn't disappointed! Slate-topped mountains, towering crags and silvery becks greeted me as I was introduced to the wild-hearted main character, Indigo. Indigo who dreams of exploring and of … Continue reading ‘Indigo’s Dragon,’ by Sofi Croft.
We were delighted to recently be sent copies of the magnificent 'Malkin Moonlight' to review on behalf of TES Online. As a kitten, Malkin escapes the clutches of death and is touched by the moonlight – he’s destined for something special. Now on his third life, Malkin falls in love with Roux, a domestic … Continue reading ‘Malkin Moonlight,’ by Emma Cox.
Dara Palmer's life is one big drama. She knows that she's destined to end up on the big screen as a world-famous movie star, so can't understand why she never gets even the tiniest part in her school's plays. Dara is starting to think that the reason she never gets any of the big parts is because … Continue reading ‘Dara Palmer’s Major Drama,’ by Emma Shevah, illustrated by Helen Cranford-White
Library Girl and Book Boy 