Time Travel Diaries book 1. Piccadilly Press, 2019, ISBN:
9781848128002.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Themes: Time travel, Boys, Roman Britain.
'There are three rules of time travel, a naked entry and exit, only
drink don't eat and keep interactions to a minimum!' Billionaire
inventor Solomon Daisy needs a willing subject to travel back to
Roman Britain and find the blue-eyed girl with the ivory knife. Only
pre-adolescent children without piercings or fillings can enter the
portal and twelve-year old Alex Papas fits the criteria. He loves
Latin Club and can speak the language too, it's like Greek which he
speaks with his grandma who cares for him, as well.
Alex weighs up the consequences and considers the benefits of the
million pounds reward, four million extra, if he finds the blue-eyed
girl. (Daisy's fascination is borderline obsessive.) Alex uses his
wits, prior knowledge of Londinium to navigate out of the dark
Temple of Mithra into the streets. Chased by a mad woman, traversing
the Thames in a coracle, stealing a knife, sleeping beside a warm
kiln, losing Dinu, the first day and night is problematic for Alex.
At the marketplace, he uses the tune of 'Greensleeves' and his
schoolboy Latin to inform the crowd of his goal.
Fortuitously, Lollia the knife-carrying girl finds Alex. She is
pretty but rather spoilt and treats her slave girl, Plecta, badly.
There's a budding romance that develops when Dinu reappears, as he
falls for Plecta. Do the boys return unscathed to modern day London?
How does Alex ensure the safety of the girls as well?
Carolyn Lawrence's rich background knowledge of Roman life, the
nitty-gritty, sights, smells and sounds, make this a thrilling
novel. She includes 'Ten Things You Didn't Know About Roman London'
to ensure the readers understand the differences between the
realities and representations glamorised in Hollywood movies. The
time travel diaries is a fast-paced junior novel perfect for
sharing with classes studying Ancient Roman history.
Rhyllis Bignell
The sharp edge of a snowflake by Sif Sigmarsdottir
Hachette, 2019. ISBN: 9781444935301.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Themes: Nordic mystery, Thriller, Iceland,
Murder, Social media, Sexual abuse. Lovers of Nordic noir and
mysteries will be thrilled to pick up this gripping thriller set in
the snowy cold of Iceland. Hannah has been sent to live with her
father, a man she barely knows after the death of her mother. She is
to work as a trainee journalist at her father's paper. On the way
from the airport she witnesses the body of a man who has been
murdered and becomes embroiled in finding out what has happened.
Meanwhile Imogen Collins is also coming to Iceland. She is a social
media influencer and works for a company that manipulates sales. She
is also haunted by the man she calls the Beast. Hannah and Imogen
meet and secrets start to spill out as the action speeds up.
This book was very hard to put down. It ticks all the boxes on many
levels - the mystery of the murder is quite riveting, and is central
to the story, but the background of both Hannah and Imogen give the
story depth and interest. What has happened to Imogen in her past?
Will Hannah inherit the mental problems that plagued her mother?
Both young women are feisty characters that readers will identify
with, while the manipulative aspects of social media are thoroughly
explored and Hannah's comments on Instagram are amusing and
relevant.
This is a really engrossing mystery with psychological overtones and
is sure to appeal not only to teens but to adult mystery readers as
well. And the unexpected cliff-hanger at the end suggests that
readers may see more of Hannah's investigative powers in the future.
Pat Pledger
The good thieves by Katherine Rundell
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN 9781526608130.
(Age: 9+) Extremely highly recommended. Themes: History, Family,
Friendship, Acceptance, Thieves, Disability and Disadvantage.
Vita Marlowe's grandfather's house has been taken by a conman and
she is determined to get it back. After arriving in New York by boat
from England, Vita sets out to get her family home back for her
grandfather. Although Vita, a master planner is the main character,
she enlists the help of some unlikely children: Arkady, whose father
runs a Russian circus, dreams of working with animals; Samuel, the
apprentice to the circus's animal trainer wants to fly; and Silk who
just wants to belong, fit together in an unlikely group. Although all
of the members bring special skills to the group they also bring
their backgrounds in prejudice and this helps them to work together
to stand up for themselves, fight against the prejudice each faces
and challenge the status quo that stops them from following their
dreams.
As the story progresses, the reader is pulled into the lives of not
just the children but the people around them as they are confronted
by the worst that society has to offer and the problem of being a
child in an adult world. This is a brilliant book for all children
and will not disappoint those who have read Rundell's other novels,
as it is exciting, adventurous and thrilling while still showing
that just because you are different doesn't mean that you can't do
what you dream about doing.
Mhairi Alcorn
Contender: The chosen by Taran Matharu
Hodder Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781444938975.
(Age: 12+) Recommended. The chosen, first in the Contender
series by Tara Matharu (author of the Summoner
series) was a convoluted trip to a world where the suspension of
disbelief is entirely necessary. With a higher power taking control
of the lives of six boys from reform school and the evident
resurrection of more than a few prehistoric species, Cade Carter's
world is about to change irrevocably.
Convicted of a crime he didn't commit and losing not only his
full-ride scholarship but the trust of both of his parents, Cade is
sentenced to twelve months in a detention facility with other
delinquent juveniles, forced to live in fear and silence - anything
to keep the target off his back. But things are not as they seem
when he is wrenched yet again from life as he knows it and
introduced to a never-before-known level of terror - that of being a
contender. Just what that means, Cade doesn't know and he doesn't
have much time to think given he's too busy fighting for his life as
monsters emerge from the deepest recesses of his mind. Seeing living
dinosaurs might be a palaeontologist's dream, but for a boy
desperate to keep his life it's more of a nightmare. Separated from
the others, Cade must exercise his intellect as well as his physical
endurance in order to save his own life, and possibly even that of
the Earth itself.
With high stakes and misunderstood young offenders, Matharu presents
an action novel very similar to a video game. As the novel goes on
the characters become more fleshed out and their problems more
familiar. Eric, the broodiest and most frightening guy in the school,
softens, revealing his story and how he ended up in the misfit
school. Jim, always having been under Finch's power, finds the
courage to stand up for his beliefs. Cade, always blending into the
background in an effort not to be noticed, assumes the role of
leader - his intellect and strength guiding forces for the group in
the battle to come.
I would recommend to boys aged twelve and up interested in video
games and history.
Kayla Gaskell
The wych elm by Tana French
Penguin Books, 2018. ISBN: 9780241379516.
(Age: 16+) Recommended. Themes: Murder, Psychological thriller,
Bullying. What an unusual stand-alone mystery - who put a body found
deep in a wych elm? Toby was a lucky man, handsome and popular,
until one night he was assaulted at home and left with brain damage.
Recuperating in his uncle's home, his idyllic view of family is
shattered when his nephew finds a skull in the huge wych elm in the
back garden. The Wych Elm is the first book by Tana French that I have
read for a long time. I was quite happy to read a stand-alone as I
had no previous connections to the author's popular detectives.
Toby is the sort of man that the reader easily identifies with,
casual and often thoughtless. His confrontation with how his cousins
view him and his past actions, as well as his attempts at coping
with his disabilities from his attack, make for a challenging and
interesting background to uncovering who the murdered person is and
why he was put into the wych elm.
It is a long book and often the murder takes second place to the
personal trials of Toby and the family dramas that are uncovered
along the way but fans of psychological thrillers with complex plots
will find it a rewarding read. It was also interesting to later read
about a real unsolved
murder that had taken place with the body found in a witch
elm. The Wych Elm is definitely a novel for those who enjoy a long
novel with many subplots of bullying, family dynamics and thought
provoking actions.
Pat Pledger
Spot's fire engine by Eric Hill
Puffin, 2019. ISBN: 9780241382486.
(Age: 1-4) Recommended. Board book. Themes: Fire engines. Subtitled
Sound book with flashing lightSpot's fire engine is
described as a book and toy in one by the publisher. It is a very
robust book featuring the ever popular Spot, this time visiting a
fire station with his grandfather who is a firefighter. The
illustrations which are done in very bright colours, show the fire
station, and what is inside. Spot has a lot of fun going down the
fire pole and giving the engine a wash, as well as pretending to
drive the fire engine. There are lots of funny little details that
the reader will enjoy as Spot splashes his Grandpa when washing the
engine and makes the fire siren blare. Other details about fire
stations like the equipment and uniforms also create interest for
the young reader. All are vividly coloured and the expressions on
the dogs' faces are delightful.
There is a battery operated siren and flashing light which will be
sure to entertain the young child. It comes with a warning,
'hazardous if swallowed', so this is a book that should be handled
with an adult present. The battery can be turned on and off at the
back of book, if the noise becomes an issue for the adult reading
the book!
A hard-wearing, robust board book, its familiar characters and
vibrant illustrations are sure to delight the very young.
Pat Pledger
The quiet at the end of the world by Lauren James
Walker Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781406375510. 352p; p/b.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Science fiction, Dystopian
fiction, Romance, Viruses, Diversity. How far would you go to save
those you love? After a virus devastated the world and left people
infertile, Lowrie and Shen are the two youngest left. Their ageing
community loves and cossets them, and their days are happy,
searching for bits of history in the mud of the Thames. Then they
uncover a secret that threatens everything they have believed.
I read The quiet at the end of the world a few months ago
and it was reviewed
previously, but it is a story that has continued to stay with me and
one that has a theme that often has me thinking of the meaning of
humanity. James slowly builds up the tension as Lowrie and Shen find
old treasures from the time when the virus first occurred. Lowrie
researches the past of Maya, who describes what happened when the
virus first took over the world and the development of the Babygrow
app that became a couple's surrogate child. As their ageing
community gradually decline, Lowrie and Shen have to face some hard
decisions and heartbreak.
James skilfully builds up a world that feels real as Lowrie and Shen
gradually uncover what has happened in the past. There is action and
adventure, great character development and a riveting story line
told in archived chat-logs and traditional narration.
This engrossing story would make a great class novel or literature
circle text, giving participants lots of discussion points about the
meaning of life, family and love.
Pat Pledger.
Devils unto dust by Emma Berquist
Greenwillow, 2018. ISBN: 9780062642783.
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Zombies, Coming of age, Adventure,
Western, Dystopian fiction. Adventure galore, a Western setting,
zombies, some heartbreak and a great heroine - what more could a
reader want to while away a few hours?
Willie is a survivor. She has been looking after her younger
brothers and sisters after her mother died from the sickness that
turned her into a horrifying zombie-like creature called a shake and
her father succumbed to alcohol. When her father steals from a shake
hunter in the town of Glory where she lives and she is held
responsible for the debt, she knows she will have to find him. With
the assistance of two hunters she sets off into the desert on a
desperate quest to get the money back from her father.
This was a compelling and easy to read story that blended a story
set in the old West with a dystopian tale of sickness gone awry.
Willie was an engaging character, capable and determined to look
after her family as best she could. Her relationship with Micah her
brother and the twins was very relatable and the reader can't help
but be drawn to Curtis and Ben, the two honest hunters Willie hired
to escort across the desert. Short chapters and humorous dialogue
helped to lighten the darkness of the shakes.
There was plenty of action as the shakes tried to attack the small
party, and some heartbreak and unexpected twists will keep the
reader glued to the page until Willie's quest comes to an end. There
is a small opening for a sequel which the reader would welcome.
Readers who enjoyed the Western setting might like to read the more
complex The Devil's West series (Silver
on
the road, The
cold eye, and Red
waters rising) by Laura Anne Gilman, while those who
like a road trip might enjoy Tess
of the road by Rachael Hartman.
Pat Pledger
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips
Scribner, 2019. ISBN: 9781471185861.
(Age: 15 to Adult) Highly recommended. Set over the course of a
year, each of the twelve chapters examines a month in the lives of
different women and their families, all intricately connected by the
disappearance of two young girls. This remarkable book takes place
on Kamchatka, a remote peninsular in far-Eastern Russia, and is rich
with descriptions of the volcanic landscape and tundra with their
herds of reindeer. We are given an insight into lives filled with
loss and longing, of ethnic tensions and traditional Russian values
trying to find a place in the modern world.
While the mystery of the girls' disappearance begins the book and
the investigation is interwoven throughout, this actually reads more
like a series of short stories, with each focusing on a different
woman who has been somehow affected by the event including family
members, a witness, and a detective. There are many characters, and
it is easy to get them mixed up, but thankfully the author has
provided a list of primary characters at the start of the book. This
book was not at all what I expected it to be, it is so much more.
Donella Reed
Roald Dahl's colours illustrated by Quentin Blake
Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN: 9780241370315.
(Age: 1-5) Highly recommended. Board book. Themes: Colours. Another
stunning board book featuring the captivating illustrations by
Quentin Blake from Roald Dahl's stories for older children. These
will make the book familiar to adults reading it aloud, and will be
a fabulous introduction to the world of Roald Dahl for children.
Each of the double page spreads features a coloured background for
the colours chosen, pink, red, green, blue, purple, orange, grey and
yellow. For example, pink for 'I see plenty of peculiar porky pink
pigs' has hilarious pictures of pigs against a beautiful pink
background. Of course the famous 'green enomous crocodile hungry for
his lunch' features against a lovely lime green background. Only one
of the little people racing away from the snapping crocodile has a
green shirt and this will be a fun way for the adult to show that
there are different shades of green. This is also true of the dark
orange coloured fox against an vivid orange background. It was
interesting to see the colour grey featured and many children will
identify with the idea of a grey suit or grey trousers.
The description of each items associated with the colour is in a
bold black print which makes it easy to remember and there is a
special touch at the end with a gorgeous lift the flap featuring 'a
yellow giraffe with a neck that goes up . . . up . . . up!' Its
construction is also very sturdy with hard boards for heavy use.
This is a fun introduction to colours for children and is sure to
become a favourite.
Pat Pledger
A good girl's guide to murder by Holly Jackson
Electric Monkey, 2019. ISBN: 9781405293181.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Mystery, Thriller, Murder,
Diversity, Friendship. What a compelling mystery - one that was
almost impossible to put down! Pippa Fitz-Ambobi decides to
investigate the murder of schoolgirl Andie Bell as her final year
research project. Even though the police had closed the case, based
on evidence that her boyfriend Sal Singh had murdered her, Pippa has
always had doubts and sets about interviewing suspects and family
members in an effort to see if she can find evidence to prove his
innocence.
In a tightly packed narrative, consisting of entries into her
Extended Project report and narrative about what is happening every
day, Pippa delves into the secrets of her small town and uncovers
some shocking truths about the people that she thought she knew
well. Highly organised and intelligent, Pippa, with the aid of Sal's
brother Ravi, goes about the investigation in a systematic way that
allows the reader to follow the clues and try and work out who did
the murder, or if there was a murder. At the same time Pippa's
humour helps to lighten the darkness of some of the evidence and
there are some very sad moments as well.
There are lots of plot twists that will keep even seasoned mystery
readers trying to unravel the truth, and both Pippa and Ravi are
people that the reader would like to know. Pippa's view of people
begins to change as she finds out things from the past and she is
uncertain of who she can trust. And if Sal didn't murder Andie, how
dangerous is her investigation?
This is a terrific thriller that will keep the reader on the edge,
very unwilling to put it down until the case is unravelled. People
who enjoyed One
of us is lying by Karen McManus and There's
someone inside your house by Stephanie Perkins will be
sure to enjoy this as well, and I am really looking forward to more
stories by Holly Jackson.
Pat Pledger
A nearly normal family by M. T. Edvardsson
Macmillan, 2019. ISBN: 9781529008135.
(Age: senior secondary to adult) Recommended. Themes: Sweden, Crime,
Family. The Sandell family seems to have it all. Adam is a pastor in
the Church of Sweden, Ulrika is a successful lawyer and their
daughter Stella is a vibrant student and athlete. There have been
the usual ups and downs, as there are with families, but they are
looked on by other residents in the small provincial city of Lund as
a model of success.
Things take a lurch into the unexpected and unknown when Stella is
taken into custody for the murder of Christopher Olsen. The story
unfolds from the points of view of Adam, Ulrika and Stella and gives
very different insight into each individual and the dynamics of this
'ideal' family.
Adam's recount is the first, and as a reader, I found this man hard
to empathise with. His interference with the case and distrust of
the lawyer defending Stella began to annoy me so much I almost gave
up on the book. It was Stella's account that turned things round.
Her character formed by the narrative of her father gave the
impression of a selfish, spoiled teenager full of angst and
rebellion. As her side of the story is slowly and at times
reluctantly revealed an empathy is developed. Her strong friendship
with Amina is at the centre of the web of emotion and loyalty which
Edvardsson brings to life.
Stella who is 18 at the time of the murder has been involved with
Christopher Olsen an older man at 32. Chris is a wealthy, successful
businessman the son of a professor of law at the local university.
There is some uneasiness about his treatment of women when it is
discovered a former girl friend, Linda Lokind, has made a complaint
to the police about Olsen. The investigation came to nothing and its
Linda's reputation and state of mind which has come into question.
The final voice is that of Stella's mother Ulrika. It is the
shortest narrative but one which gives the greatest insight and
perhaps shows the greatest understanding of Stella and of Amina.
The Sandell family was not the one any of its members wanted. Adam
wanted a perfect image projected to his congregation as a reflection
of his role as loving father and husband. He is a controller and in
the end not open with Stella or Ulrika. Stella is a complex
character and she feels guilty about her behaviour and reactions to
her parents but is unable to express them. She has many secrets she
keeps from her family and even some from Amina. Ulrika feels guilt
being the working mother working away from her family so often, but
also feeling excluded from the bond which Adam and Stella formed as
a baby and into her childhood. She too has secrets.
This novel was involving not least from the dynamics of the family,
but also the community in which they live. The Swedish police and
judicial system is an interesting contrast to the US or British with
which we are far more familiar. Edvardsson's resolution is not
entirely unexpected, but the master mind behind it all is more of a
surprise.
Mark Knight
Nits! by Stephanie Blake
Gecko Press, 2019. ISBN: 9781776572243.
(Age: 4+) Themes: Nits, Classroom behaviour, Friendship, Humour. A
disarmingly simple text tells the reader of the friendship between
Simon and Lou. Simon loves Lou but she loves Mamadou. Simon is quite
upset at seeing Mamadou kiss Lou, but when Lou begins to scratch at
the nits in her hair, her friends, including Mamdou, desert her. But
not Simon. He assures Lou that her mother will fix her problem, and
kisses her. And so Simon gets nits as well.
Simply told the story shows how easy it is to get nits, and tells
readers what to expect when they get them. The story reiterates that
there is nothing to be afraid of and tells readers that their
mothers will be able to get rid of them for them.
The simple clear illustrations underline the straightforward message
contained in the book, and will appeal to the target audience of
early primary readers.
Astute teachers will use this book as an introduction to the
prevalence of nits within school communities and take the
opportunity to encourage preventative action as well as showing the
children how they can be managed.
Fran Knight
The rest of the story by Sarah Dessen
Balzer and Bray, 2019. ISBN: 9780008334390.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Family, Friendship,
Self-perception, Class structure, Anxiety. Sarah Dessen does it
again - The rest of the story has all her wonderful
hallmarks, beautiful writing that grabs the reader straight away, a
feel good look at a difficult family life, a swoon worthy but slow
romance and a clever view of class structure and wealth.
When Emma Saylor is sent to spend the holidays at North Lake with
her grandmother and cousins, people she hasn't seen since she was a
small child, she finds things difficult. Here she is called Saylor,
the name given to her by her dead mother, while at home she is
called Emma by her father and other family members. There are
unknown cousins to become acquainted with and Roo the boy who had
been her best friend when she was little. Roo is the key who helps
her find out about her mother and her past.
Emma is a character that the reader will immediately identify with.
It is easy to relate to her feelings when she arrives at her
grandmother's house. She has to navigate family shoals while coming
to grips with the fact that there are two communities at North Lake.
There is the working class group at North Lake, where her mother
grew up and where her grandmother runs a motel, and there is the
rich Lake North resort, where the wealthy spend their holidays.
There is Roo, the caring boy, who lives on the working class side
and the rich boys who stay at the resort. And there are all the
stories that she finds out about her mother who died when she was
ten and the side of the family that she didn't know about. Who is
she - the Emma from the rich family who stay at the resort, or
Saylor, the girl who helps her cousins clean the motel? And can she
overcome her anxiety especially about driving?
Dessen is one of my favourite authors. I love her characters and
even though she often explores complex family and personal
situations, she always leaves the reader hopeful of a good outcome
and better understandings as her characters grow and develop. Her
books are ones that fans will want to revisit and The rest of
the story is certainly one that would richly repay a reread.
Pat Pledger
Hey baby! by Stephanie Warren Drimmer
National Geographic Kids, 2019. ISBN: 9781426329319. 192pp., hbk.
'In every corner of the Earth - from the Arctic to Australia, from
ocean depths to mountain tops, from dry deserts to lush rain forests
- tiny tots are learning to find their way in a big beautiful
world.'
But these are not human babies - they are animals of all shapes and
sizes and each has its own life story, some more complex and
demanding more attention than a human baby. Using the most stunning
photos, this is a collection of pictures, poems, stories, folktales
and information from Nature's nursery that will introduce young
readers to the diverse creatures of this planet. Grouped according
to habitat such as mountains and plains, forest and streams, oceans
and seas, each creature has a short fact box giving the name of the
young, its home and its food as well as other information, and each
section also has a Tot Lot which is a group of eight creatures with
not quite so much detail but adding to the wonder of the variety of
fauna that shares this planet with us. Many have a story or even a
classic poem to accompany them, such as 'The Legend of the Pink
Dolphin' or 'The Duck and the Kangaroo' by Edward Lear to further
engage the young reader as this is a book to be shared or read by an
independent reader.
An investment in a child's learning.
Barbara Braxton
