Lucie has moved to London and taken up a new role with a prestigious law firm, leaving behind her family and her newly divorced ex-husband. Things are busy but going well, then she receives a hand delivered note : At last I've found you. A shock I'm sure. But in time I'll explain. Martin. Having lost Martin in the 9/11 attacks in New York, Lucie has never forgotten him - nor the fact that their relationship was a secret, with Martin promising he'd leave his wife for her. She was devastated to lose him that day, and can't be sure this note is real. Then a series of events occur leaving her questioning if he did pass away that day, or if he disappeared instead in the aftermath of the tragedy. But is it Martin or someone harassing her, or has paranoia set her off kilter?
This mystery thriller has compelling characters and takes place in the past and the present, switching between the two seamlessly. With a career driven protagonist juggling moving on from a divorce, settling in a new city as well as new relationships, readers will find Lucie relatable. Locations vary throughout the book too, and the fast paced writing makes the book very easy to read quickly. Descriptively written and emotion driven, this is a sure fire hit for those who enjoy thrillers and mysteries. While aimed at older readers, this novel would be ideal for readers of Karen M McManus. Readers will find the story has the perfect amount of twists and turns, and be unable to put the book down, wanting to know what will happen next.
Themes Mystery, Thriller, London, New York, 9/11 Attacks and Aftermath, Relationships, Paranoia, Obsession.
In hard times it is always wonderful to find an author who can make me smile, and Ben Aaronovitch has done just that, while writing in two of my favourite genres, mystery, and fantasy. I have come very late to the Rivers of London series, first published in 2011, but it still reads with a freshness and appeal that will make readers want to continue with the series. Peter Grant is a young constable working for the London Metropolitan Police. Although he wants to become a detective, he is assigned to the Case Progression Unit, which means lots of paperwork and no detecting. When a ghost appears and gives him information about a strange murder, he gains the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Nightingale, in charge of looking into crimes involving magic. He finds himself embroiled in trying to solve supernatural murders where the faces of the murdered fall off, while meeting gods and goddesses of the rivers of London.
The whole setting of London, with the murders happening in and around Covent Garden, is fabulous, but what is most interesting is the attribution of gods and goddesses to the rivers of London. The reader will meet Mother and Father Thames, their children and grandchildren named after tributaries and streams, the most memorable characters being Tyburn, Fleet and Beverley Brook and will have fun looking up all the rivers and brooks that are part of the rivers of London.
For those who enjoy a good ghost story, Rivers of London delivers. Centred around actors from the past and the story of the Punch and Judy show, the action is fast paced and often gory. The humour though comes from the wry commentary from apprentice wizard Peter Grant and while a couple of descriptions of the women he encounters are cringe-worthy, they still fit into the character of this young cop, just beginning to find his feet in a world of women, ghosts, and police.
With a BBC show in the pipeline, this series is sure to become popular and I will continue to read more of the crimes solved by Peter Grant and Nightingale. Readers who liked Rivers of London may enjoy books by Jim Butcher and Neil Gaiman.
Fans of a good adventure story that you cannot put down will be thrilled with the story of Fable, a young girl who has been abandoned by her father on the island of Jeval. Here she survives as a dredger, a diver who goes after precious gemstones found deep in the waters around the coral reefs. It is a precarious and dangerous life and Fable desperately wants to get off the island and claim her rightful place on her father’s ship. A young ship’s captain West has been buying the gems she harvests from the sea and when things become too dangerous for her on Jeval, she manages to escape aboard his ship.
Young’s world building is beguiling. It is easy to imagine the life that Fable leads, the things she must do to survive and the life of the young crew on board West’s ship the Marigold. The sights and sounds aboard an ocean-going sailing ship come alive, while the underwater mining that Fable excels at is vividly described. And the excitement and danger that Fable faces in this action-packed story will keep the reader rivetted as they follow her adventures as she tries to get back to her father.
Fable is a strong, feisty clever young woman and West and the crew of the Marigold are all strong characters that the reader will enjoy getting to know. Then there are the villains, including Zoya who is a cruel captain, the terrible harshness of punishment on the high seas, and the tortured relationship between Fable and her father Saint, all of which make for a gripping story. Themes of abandonment, family and the meaning of home are all explored, and the slight touch of romance will be enjoyed by fans of that genre.
Readers who enjoyed Six of crows by Leigh Bardugo are likely to enjoy Fable. It certainly deserved being a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2020), and 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults, and with a truly frightening cliff-hanger ending, the reader will immediately want to read Namesake, the next in this duology.
Themes Sailing, Diving, Abandonment, Family.
Pat Pledger
Dinosaur whizz! The coelophysis by Peter Curtis and Jeanne Willis
Another sturdy board book introduces young readers to the Coelophysis, a dinosaur that loves to run and is very fast. She has long, slender legs and a pointed tail that helps her speed along like an athlete. Sometimes she annoys the other dinosaurs with her speed, whizzing past Dinosaur Flap and waking up Dinosaur Flap, the poor Oviraptor, distressing it so much that she tripped over her nest. When the mean Spinosaurus called Dinosaur Snap, chases Whizz, she is so fast that she manages to get away.
The rhyming text is a joy to read aloud, and young children will enjoy following the adventures of Whizz as she races from one place to another. Finding different dinosaurs and learning how to pronounce their names could be a fun activity, while the double page spread at the back with facts about Coelophysis will reinforce what has been learnt about this dinosaur. Vocabulary will also be extended through this page and the narrative. The dinosaur facts have been verified by Dr. Paul Barrett of the Department of Earth Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London.
The illustrations are cute, with Dinosaur Whizz drawn in bright red. She has sharp pointed teeth and a happy expression on her face, and children will want to find the three grasping claws she has on each hand. The pictures of Dinosaur Snap and Dinosaur Stomp will bring shudders of delight as Dinosaur Whizz evades danger.
Children are sure to want to find out more dinosaur facts in the rest of the Dinosaur Roar! series.
Themes Dinosaurs, Coelophysis.
Pat Pledger
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Hufflepuff edition by J.K. Rowling
The final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the culmination of Harry's years at Hogwarts and follows on from the shocking end of the 6th book in the series. Join Harry and his friends as they fight against Lord Voldermort and his Death Eaters who have taken over the wizarding world. Instead of returning to school where Harry would be arrested and handed over to Voldermort, Harry, Hermione and Ron set out to try to change things. They face perilous challenges as they race against time and their enemies to bring about the balance to end the wizarding war.
This new Hufflepuff edition of the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series is brilliantly bright with its vibrant yellow cover and yellow page edging, which is essentially an odd juxtaposition to the dark and heavy story contained within its pages. That being said, loyal and true Hufflepuffs will love the edition, as it is the Hufflepuff House Edition, and includes special additions of Hufflepuff illustrations, Hufflepuff information and a quiz on Hufflepuff history! And of course, the epic story contained within the cover - the beloved characters, the mystery of the Deathly Hallows, the relationships, everything that makes the Harry Potter series so loved and well read worldwide. Fast paced and action fuelled; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will answer all the questions readers have regarding the series. Hufflepuff Potterheads will be proud to add this edition to their collection, and as always for a book in the Harry Potter series, the book is well worth the read.
Themes Fantasy, Magic, Wizards, Witches, Friendship, Love, War, Loss, Good versus Evil, Choice.
Addie and her sister are about to embark on an epic road trip to a friend's wedding in the north of Scotland. Not long after setting off, a car slams into the back of theirs. The driver is none other than Addie's ex, Dylan, who she has avoided since their traumatic break-up two years earlier.
Dylan and his best mate are heading to the wedding too, and they have totalled their car, so Addie has no choice but to offer them a ride. The car is soon jam-packed full of luggage and secrets, and with three hundred miles ahead of them, Dylan and Addie cannot avoid confronting the very messy history of their relationship.
Will they make it to the wedding on time? And, more importantly... is this really the end of the road for Addie and Dylan?
I really loved the time jumping chapters, going from the beginning of Dylan and Addie’s relationship to the awkwardness of their present situation. Add onto that, the changing narration from Dylan to Addie, it sounds like it would be difficult to keep track of, but the story and timelines were easy to follow and added an element of anticipation.
Addie is quite the enjoyable female protagonist. It is easy to relate to some of her attributes, particularly in the way she handles conflict within her relationship. This book does cover the idea of toxic friendships and includes a redemption arc of one of the main characters. This may not seem realistic to some; however, it ties up the end of the novel nicely. The character of Marcus is one that pushes a lot of buttons, in the end I despised him. That in itself is a testament to good writing, to make the reader feel such emotion towards a character requires a special talent. The love between Addie and Dylan was so strong and I was shipping them the entire way through, hoping for a happy ending.
Overall a thoroughly enjoyable novel that romance readers will definitely enjoy!
Themes Alcoholism, Friendship, Jealousy, Love, Loyalty, Point of View, Relationships, Romance, Stalking.
Following the string of successes beginning with Oi frog! (2014) comes an alphabet book with a difference, introducing many of Frog’s friends to the appreciative reading audience who will laugh uproariously at the way words are used to rhyme with the animal nominated for each letter. And most of these animals are usually overlooked in the many alphabet books available.
The lugubrious cat and questioning dog follow the story, adding comments along the way, questioning and suggesting, encouraging the reader to do the same. Like the animals selected, the words chosen to rhyme are often unexpected, adding thrills to the reading, and a lot of laughs from the audience.
Frog invites the aardvark, cat and dog to check out his new book: My all new alphabetty botty book, which he is writing. Of course, cat derides it, questioning the first rhyme - cardsharp for aardvark. From then on, fun comes hard and fast as the words dot the pages, the animals all paired with something to sit upon.
I laughed out loud at the Elk sitting on a whelk and the giraffe in a bath, while the iguana has a rough time sitting peacefully on a fish bowl of piranha. The look on the iguana’s face is priceless. So too, the kudu sitting on, well, poo will gain credibility from the kids, but asked whether another word could be used, I can imagine lots of guesses.
Kids will love this new book, full of humour and celebrating some unknown animals, while encouraging lots of fun with words. Jim Field’s lively illustrations add another level of fun and humour, and I loved following the looks on the animals’ faces as they sit on their pairing word.
A whole heap of fun.
Themes Humour, Animals, Alphabet.
Fran Knight
Tiger Warrior: Attack of the Dragon King by M. Chan
Nine chapters of high-octane adventure begin with an action-packed Prologue set in the Jade Kingdom. Simultaneously in our realm, Jack’s aging grandfather, Yeye, unwittingly believes it is a good time to pass the Jade coin onto his grandson, effectively anointing him the next Tiger Warrior. The coin not only enables Jack to travel to and from the Jade realm but allows him to harness and ultimately commune with the superpowers of each of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac – particularly the Tiger.
With minimal practice in transforming and accessing powers such as the Tiger’s firebombs, the Ox’s strength, the Snake’s invisibility, the Rooster’s ability to fly etc. Jack is encouraged to go and explore the Jade Kingdom. Upon materializing there, he quickly learns that the Jade Emperor has been imprisoned under Mystic Mountain by the Dragon King. Aided by Li (the emperor’s daughter/magical Phoenix) this first day on the job is a baptism by fire.
Jack is by birth the new Tiger Warrior, but he relies on his magic and martial arts video game expertise more in the beginning to help Li battle the Dragon King and his minions – no doubt a welcome message about the practical usefulness of gaming.
Will he be any help in freeing the Jade Emperor? Will he make Yeye proud, as the new Tiger Warrior? All answered questions for young readers who will be turning pages faster than a Ninja. Author and Chinese Englishman, M. Chan has concocted a uniquely stimulating text for an early/middle school reader – particularly boys. With Jack transforming into powerful Zodiac animals and battling the various dragons unleashed by the Dragon King, we remain on the edge of our proverbial seats until the final scenes. Highly recommend Vol 1, in what promises to be an extremely popular adventure series in the league of those written by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson) and the various authors known collectively as Adam Blade. (Beast Quest)
Themes Action, Adventure, Martial Arts, Family, Chinese Zodiac.
Deborah Robins
Dinosaur Whack! The Stegosaurus by Peter Curtis and Jeanne Willis
This sturdy board book will delight fans of dinosaurs with its colourful illustrations and rhyming verse. Dinosaur Whack is a stegosaurus who is very clumsy. She has a very long spiky tail which scares her friends and sometimes even knocks them over. Poor Dinosaur Chew (an iguanodon) and Dinosaur Whixx ( a coelophysis) get whacked and Dinosaur Boo (the deinonychus) is bopped. It is not until some juicy foliage is stuck on her spikes that the other plant eating dinosaurs can see some use for her tail.
The rhyming verse make this a great read aloud for younger children, and emerging readers will enjoy the rhythm of the narrative, while learning much about the stegosaurus and see other dinosaurs as well. The illustrations are cute and colourful and will appeal to the young audience.
A double page spread gives interesting facts about the stegosaurus and will introduce new vocabulary to the reader/listener, with words like 'quadruped', 'bony plates' and 'plant eater' explained. The book was produced in association with the Natural History Museum, with facts verified by Prof. Paul Barrett of the Department of Earth Sciences, so parents and teachers can be sure that the young reader is gaining accurate information.
This is a fun book that will bring pleasure and great dinosaur facts to the very young who will want to read others in the Dinosaur Roar! series.
Getting to know the narrator, Evie Thomas, is an experience. She is disillusioned, cynical, clever and tough. She no longer believes in love and has thrown out her romance novels in disgust. Evie is in her final year at school, with no clear idea of where she will go from here – her life has imploded.
Yoon sets her novel in Los Angeles and the La Brea Dance studio. She expertly holds the reader in the closed position and leads through the story to reveal passions, slow dances, courage and self-awareness. The reader will fall in love with the characters in this novel. Yoon has infused her characters with a vitality and depth that intrigues and captures the reader’s heart. While unashamedly a romance, this book has depth and invites the reader to question the meaning of life. Should you say yes to everything?
There is a lot of wisdom and pain in this book. Overall, the reader reaches the last page immersed in hope. While there is evidence that life does bring misery and adults are imperfect, the joys of relationships and life surmount them all. This is an uplifting book that you will want to read in one sitting.
Peter Wohlleben, the author of The Hidden Life of Trees has written another attractive and appealing non-fiction book which clearly showcases his passion and enthusiasm for the animal world. The book begins with an introduction ‘Let’s go on a journey of discovery’ which is followed by seven chapters covering the topics of where animals live, what they eat, babies, how they grow up, survival techniques, the language they use and animal emotions. The chapters are not long and the information is clearly set out in bordered segments interspersed with colourful photographs. There are “Look!” or “Try this!” headings as well as a simple quiz at the end of each section. The answer to each quiz is on the same page but may be missed as it is in miniscule light coloured font.
The interesting and wide-ranging information is written in an easy to understand manner and may encourage further investigation. A thought-provoking fact especially as areas of Australia are suffering from a devastating mouse plague is that one pair of mice can produce up to two thousand offspring a year and that young mice can begin to have their own babies at three weeks old. There is important information on human garbage and the care that must be taken to ensure animals do not suffer from it being left lying around. At the end of the book are photo credits and a very detailed index.
Another welcome addition to a home, school or public library.
Black girls together, solidarity! At least that is what Nella hopes, when a new black girl gets an editorial assistant position in the same publishing house where she works. Up until that time, Nella has been the only black person in the all white Wagner editorial team, struggling to highlight diversity issues in the manuscripts that come across her desk. But then the threatening notes start turning up, ‘LEAVE WAGNER NOW’, and Nella has to wonder if Hazel, the new super confident achiever is behind them.
The author Zakiya Dalila Harris spent nearly three years working in the editorial department at Knopf Doubleday, beginning work on this novel at her desk, so the scenes exposing the hierarchies within a publishing house, the tension around raising issues of racism, and the competitiveness between editorial assistants wanting to rise up the ladder, all has the ring of authenticity. Nella wants to help new young black writers to get published, and also ensure there is a genuine black voice in the literature that Wagner promotes. But she finds that she is increasingly being sidelined, Hazel is becoming the favoured black spokesperson . . . and the threatening notes keep coming.
Interwoven with Nella’s story are occasional chapters set in a different timeframe, so the reader needs to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of chapters. New characters and scenes are introduced, and it is not until well over half way through the book that we start to understand what they are about. The novel starts as a modern day social commentary, mixed with elements of the thriller, and then takes a disconcerting sci-fi turn. Perhaps younger readers will not be put off by this twist.
The novel is well grounded in black politics, and black culture, the characters are convincing, and the writing keeps the reader engaged. Readers who like a mix of genres will enjoy this book.
Themes Black writers, Racism, Deception, Control.
Helen Eddy
Little Owl's bedtime by Debi Gliori. Illus. by Alison Brown
This is a fun bedtime story. Little Owl is not ready to go to sleep and continues to come up with excuses as to why he can’t go to sleep, like most small children.
In the end Mummy Owl finds out that the reason he doesn’t want to go to sleep is because he is excited about tomorrow. Mummy explains to Little Owl that tomorrow will come quicker if he goes to sleep and Little Owl finally falls asleep.
This book is beautifully illustrated; the pictures are bright and colorful and attention grabbing. They support the story beautifully.
I highly recommend this book.
Themes Bedtime.
Karen Colliver
Oona by Kelly DiPucchio and Raissa Figueron
Katherine Tegen Books, 2021. ISBN: 9780062982247. (Age:4+)
Oona the mermaid and her best friend Otto the pufferfish love to search for treasure on the ocean floor, but often they find trouble instead.
Messy trouble. Tricky trouble. Even shark-related trouble.
That's never stopped them though! So when Oona spies a beautiful crown caught in the sand at the bottom of a narrow crack she was determined to have it. But does she have the courage to dive right in and fetch it from the dark, murky depths where who knows what might be waiting for her?
This is an engaging story that has the unusual twist of Oona actually giving up on retrieving the crown but then continuing with how that made her feel and her resolve returning. We all know the feeling of dissatisfaction when something we desire, tangible or not, remains just out of reach. We have to consider whether it is a walk-away thing or whether it's an occasion to rethink our strategies so we can attain or achieve it. So, by not having Oona reach her goal, the author opens up the discussion about what we can do if we don't win. In this success-oriented world where children are rewarded just for turning up to something they have committed to, they don't often have the opportunity to learn to lose, to experience the feelings that that entails and how to not only deal with the loss but also those feelings.
The other element that sets this apart from other stories about mermaids is the illustrations, for Oona is not the stereotypical pretty white mermaid with long golden locks and fish-scale tail and Otto is not a cute rainbow-fish type companion, so that also could lead to an exploration of stereotypes, their impact on our perception and how something that is completely different from what we were expecting can impact on our reading. Does the diversity enhance the experience or distract from it?
This is a book for a range of ages - it could be just a story about a mermaid or even a discussion about how the "treasure" she finds ends up in the ocean, it could be the springboard to much more.
Themes Mermaids, Treasure, Friendship.
Barbara Braxton
Dinosaur Questions & Answers by The Natural History Museum
If you're as old as the dinosaurs themselves, and even if you're not, if you have had anything to do with young children you will know that the fascination for dinosaurs is universal and endless. I wish I had the proverbial dollar for every time I have been told that a child is obsessed with dinosaurs and asked what did I have that was new.
So this new publication from CSIRO Publishing which targets those just beginning to discover these creatures and who have so many questions about them is perfect. Tackling 50 most commonly asked questions such as 'Which dinosaurs had the biggest teeth?' and 'Why did some dinosaurs have such short arms?', both question and answers are in straight-forward language, give just the right amount of information and are accompanied by clear, colourful illustrations ensuring the young reader's inquisitiveness is satisfied while demonstrating the power of books to seek the information we want.
Many of our youngest readers will be experts on this subject before they come to school and even though according to formal tests they can't yet read, they will have cut their teeth on this subject and know more about reading (and dinosaurs) than we give them credit for. So this could serve as an excellent model to let this group create their own Q&A book to not only show off their own knowledge but to learn from their peers, empowering them in a way that few formal lessons could do. It could offer a pathway into the information literacy process for them - what do I already know, what do I want to know, where can I find out, how can I share what I've discovered - and inspire them to investigate further.
