Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408894316
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Ember and Ness are best friends, completely
inseparable. Ember can't imagine what life would be without Ness.
Until Ness dies, in a most sudden and unexpected way. Ember feels
completely empty. How can this even be real? Then Ember finds a way
into the afterworld - a place where the recently dead reside. She
knows there must be a way to bring Ness back, so she decides to find
it. Because that's what friends do: rescue each other. But the
afterworld holds its own dangers. How far will Ember go to make
things the way they were?
The wonderfully talented A. F. Harrold, author of The Imaginary,
has not disappointed fans with her latest works. This is a heart
warming and touching story that delves into the dark side of the
afterworld. It explores the emotional roller coaster people can
travel on when faced with losing a loved one - the character could
easily be a best friend, family member or even a pet. The book
leaves us wondering what extremes would we go to if we were able to
bring our loved ones back. Themes such as desperation, loss, love
and darkness are evident throughout the storyline. Due to the depth
of darkness in the book, I would recommend it for children aged 10
and up. It would make a fabulous read aloud and create some
interesting discussions. A must have for the library and a welcome
addition to the Christmas wish list.
Kathryn Schumacher
Doctor Who: Twelve angels weeping: Twelve stories of the villains from Doctor Who by Dave Rudden
Ill. by Alexis Snell. BBC Children's Books, 2018. ISBN
9781405938273
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Themes: Science fiction. Doctor Who. Time
travel. Monsters. Aliens. Robots. Villains. Life on other planets.
Twelve short stories featuring the villains from the Doctor Who
series will enthral any fan of Doctor Who and probably encourage
many who haven't seen all the series to go back and find them. The
author Dave Rudden must have an immense knowledge of and love for
the series to be able to write convincingly of all the monsters and
villains that are described in this set of stories. As a fan of the
series I was reminded of many episodes that I had seen and some that
I had missed.
The introduction reminds the reader that 'Everywhere in the
universe, on every planet that has existed or will exist, there is a
winter...' and that 'stories are a light in themselves' and then
goes on to explain the light that is carried in these stories. All
were very readable and will be particularly enjoyable for Doctor Who
fans, but some stood out for me. One was 'Student bodies',
where a young PHD student, Donovan Claire, tries to record what is
happening to her as her memories are stolen by something strange and
alien. The reader also finds out about River Song's youthful
exploits at the university. In 'Judoon the rhino of twenty-three
Strand Street', 10 year old Patricia meets an alien rhino and
learns that she needn't restrict herself to the narrow pathways that
Mother Superior and her father expect of her. Of course a volume
about Doctor Who would be incomplete without a story featuring
Daleks, and the reader will be mesmerised by 'Daleks, the third
wise man', and the doctor as the Renegade.
Each of the stories has a full page black and white drawing by
Alexis Snell and each one vividly illustrates the villain in the
following story - some may give you nightmares!
A must for any Doctor Who fan, this group of short stories will be
welcomed in a library or as a gift.
Pat Pledger
How to tame a human tornado by Paul Tobin
The genius factor, book 3. Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN
9781619638990
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Themes: Science experiments. Gifted children.
Inventions. Friendship. Sixth-grade gifted inventor Nate Bannister
and his best friend Delphine return in the third book of The
genius factor series. Frenetically-paced, constantly chased,
scientifically amazed, How to tame a human tornado
challenges our beliefs as we follow in the wake of Nathan's
outrageous escapades.
While trying to avoid the evil Red Tea Society and all their wicked
destructive schemes, Nate has found time to hide his science vials
all over town. Each contains a crazy invention, a plague of toads, a
brother turned into a zebra running with a pack of humans also
morphed into zebras and wild lightning storms that won't stop.
Super-wealthy Nate and his talking dog Bosper are a force to be
reckoned with: on Friday the 13th he usually does three outrageous
things, this time he's exceeded his quota causing mayhem in his home
town Polt. His friend who is definitely not his girlfriend is taken
along for the ride, literally. There's even an improved jetbelt
fitted with miniature magnetoplasma rockets to assist Delphine and
her talking bee Melville to escape from the villains chasing them.
When Nate talks scientifically, explaining the structure and
capability of each invention, Delphine is more concerned about
practical issues. The Red Death Society know where Nate lives and
his mission needs to focus on concealing all the hidden vials. When
Delphine's friends become involved, drinking vials of Gravity
Dispersal potion and Crayon Summoning, her adventure course training
is a vital tool in their rescue. Delphine's daily exercise in her
backyard obstacle course has increased her physical and mental
agility. Flying cars that talk even while underwater, talking
animals, hyper-speeding people and the wildest weather add to the
heightened drama.
Paul Tobin's How to tame a human tornado is a rollercoaster
ride at warp speed! There are multiple absurd and crazy characters,
situations and settings that twist and turn continuously.
Friendship, wittiness, scientific and mathematical knowledge add to
the enjoyment of reading this novel for middle grade students.
Humorous scenes, being chased by rubber boots, attacked and buried
under layers of toads and Bosper's smart doggy comments add
excitement. Where to next for Nate and Delphine, especially with the
Red Tea Death Society having a base under the lake?
An exciting, slightly crazy novel filled with science and technology
suitable for preteens, teenagers and adults.
Rhyllis Bignell
What if it's us? by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN 9781471176395
(Age: 12+) Highly recommended. This novel explores the awkwardness
of teenage love, friendship and fate, in a modern story written from
two perspectives. Arthur is in New York on an internship for the
summer, hoping to gain experience for his application to Yale. Ben
lives in New York with his lower-middle class family, stuck in
summer school thanks to his now ex-boyfriend. Arthur is completely
captivated by the magic of the Big Apple. For Ben, it's his every
day. Two entirely different worlds, and yet the universe makes them
collide. Right from the first time they meet, you're rooting for the
two boys as you feel their clumsy chemistry emanating from the page.
After the first meeting is interrupted, it takes a while for them to
reconnect in a city of 8 million people, and it's certainly not
smooth sailing from there. It takes them three attempts to get a
first date right, as they struggle with Arthur's tendency to care
too much and Ben's inability to show how much he really cares. This,
along with movements in both their friendship groups cause
increasing tension to build up, dampened only by the romance they
share which keeps them hanging on. Through the highs and lows of
their relationship, they learn that love is not about doing things
perfectly and getting it right the first time, it's about working
through things together to work out what's right for them.
The story is written in a unique way by two authors: Becky
Albertalli and Adam Silvera, both writing from one of the
perspectives of the two main characters. Although the voice of each
character is not specified, those who have read the authors'
previous works may be able to distinguish their particular styles.
Aside from this, there are multiple references to musicals that
Broadway fans will appreciate, along with other references that
teenagers can relate to.
This novel perfectly displays the awkwardness and challenges that
come with being an openly gay teenager, or anyone in a young
relationship in today's society.
Sam Rugless (Student)
When I was a child by Andy Stanton and David Litchfield
Hodder, 2018, ISBN 9781444928853
(Age: 3-6) Recommended. Themes: Grandparents. There is magic in everything.
The world is a spinning star,
No matter how old you are.
Andy Stanton's When I was a child is an evocative and
uplifting story of a grandmother and grandchild sharing beautiful
memories of past and present times. David Litchfield's enchanted
multi-media illustrations compliment the lyrical story and take us
to beautiful places.
Grandma opens her book of memories sharing her world from long ago
where people and elephants flew across the sky and the world joined
in with a grand parade. Wonderful celebrations with music and
dancing happened when the world married the sun. Grandma holds her
granddaughter's hand as they watch the Martian girls high kicking up
in the stars. The mood changes when her grandmother talks of 'the
world growing old and grey' and the 'magic shrinking away.'
Emily grasps her grandma's hands and together they fly off into a
bright world with faces in raindrops, there are "minutes that last
for hours" and "flowers celebrate birthdays." The young girl's world
is just as enchanted and splendid.
Andy Stanton's allegorical story delivers a message of hope and
love; both Grandma and Emily see the beauty and reality of their
worlds' past and present. David Litchfield's surreal scenes, filled
with light and shade, energetic magical characters and other worldly
settings add to the enjoyment of this story. A beautiful book just
right for sharing with grandparents and families. Take time to
remember and record special moments together.
Rhyllis Bignell
Follow me around the world: maze book by Roger Priddy
Priddy Books, 2018. ISBN 9781783416653
(Age: Pre-schol) Highy recommended. Follow me around the world:
maze book is a colourful book that encourages interaction from
the young reader through cut out/tactile mazes on every page. Each
page in this book follows the journey of the main character Fox, who
is travelling the world, discovering major icons and meeting new
friends along the way.
I gave this book to my 3 year old for bedtime reading, and although
I initially thought that it may be too young for her, she engaged in
both the trailing through the mazes and also the text. She loved
adding to the animal friend list and finding them on each page, and
also playing 'Spot Fox' within the beautiful illustrations.
This book is from the Follow Me series by Roger Priddy,
whose books are amazing tools for young children. I can see this
book (and others from the series) being used in so many ways with
children of a multitude of ages. The three areas of focus in this
book (as stated on the back cover - another tick for publisher
Priddy Books!) are encourages imagination, problem solving and
hand-eye coordination. All of these areas are extremely important to
young readers and to be able to seamlessly weave them into a reading
experience gets a big thumbs up from me. I also really enjoyed the
interaction between parent and child that it facilitated. The
illustrations are colourful and fun, leading to discussions about
animals and landmarks, but also about the characters and what they
were doing.
Lastly, this is very robust book which is great for young hands and
would make an excellent book for travelling. The wipe able pages are
a well-received added bonus! 5 out of 5.
Lauren Fountain
The TinyWing fairies by Suzanne Barton
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408864876 The TinyWing Fairies is a delightful bedtime story, written
and illustrated by Suzanne Barton, which follows the journey of some
gorgeous fairy friends from Dappletree Woods in their hunt for a
noise in the night. As they go along their way they meet their
woodland friends the mice, owls, and the rabbits who all join in to
help find the cause of the unknown noise. The mystery concludes and
the friends all attend the Winter Fair which is a fabulous end to
their big adventure.
I really enjoyed the language used in this story and felt that it
added to the "enchanting" feeling throughout the whole book. Words
such as snuggled, twinkled, fluttering and dreaming were discussed
and enjoyed by Miss 4, who sat with her eyes fixated on the pictures
and her ears listening intently to the words.
The illustrations are amazingly whimsical, colourful, with patterns
following through each page and cute snowflakes moving across the
scenery.
We loved the colours used and especially the figures of the TinyWing
fairies who had great facial expressions.
According to Miss 4 her favourite parts were when the fairies went
to visit all the animals and how they helped each other out. She
also loved the pictures of the animal families, especially the owls
and the mice. And although he may not admit it - Master 8 listened
in and stated that he thought the pictures were good and that he
liked the rabbits and the owls!!!
This book is perfectly suited to bedtime reading and could be used
for a child who may have some issues with hearing noises in the
night, as it is reassuring and definitely calming.
We really enjoyed this book and will certainly be reading it again!
Lauren Fountain
The Teenage Guide to Life Online by Nicola Morgan
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781406377903
(Age: 12 - Adult). Recommended. Everyone is aware that the internet
has given rise to a change in how we go about our daily lives;
screen time has increased and seems to continue to do so. Schools
are providing information about cyber bullying, and parents woe
about how much time their children spend with technology. But
perhaps it's not all bad.
This book explores why children (and adults) have a new fixation and
addiction to technology and online life compared to days past, and
discusses the pros and cons of various aspects of internet access
and use. Social media access, privacy, sexting, and cyberbullying
are often the big-ticket items when thinking about the internet, but
this books also explores other sides of social media access,
including how to ensure the information you are accessing is
accurate, being creative online and using online tools, and the
difference between reading on a screen and reading on paper.
Each section outlines the main idea, and discusses both the pros and
cons of online and technology access. Strategies to support the
negatives are outlined, and there is an abundance of resources and
further readings listed. An easy read, The Teenage Guide to Life
Online aims to explore and explain why there is such an
addiction to technology and internet for children and adults alike,
and, rather than spending a doom and gloom message, encourages
individuals to be aware of how technology and internet access
affects their daily interactions.
A must read for both children and adults.
Christina Abbracciavento
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, retold by Tony Mitton
Ill. by Mike Redman. Orchard Books, 2018. ISBN 9781408351673
Highly recommended. Themes: Christmas; Charles Dickens; Generosity;
Poetry; Rhyme. This is wonderful poetic rendering of the classic
story from Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. Mitton has
told this story of transformation in a clear and simple way, with
rhyme seeming unforced and natural and therefore very appealing for
a young reader. The younger generation are unlikely to read Dickens'
original work, but references to the old Miser Scrooge who is
changed on Christmas Eve when confronted with a number of ghosts,
has become part of the common experience and vernacular and
therefore this story is worth sharing in this easy to read form.
The illustrations provided by Mike Redman are delightful, with
initially dark and sombre detail befitting Dickens' work. (Scrooge's
work chair is impossibly high, and his office is grey and dismal).
When Scrooge finally repents of his former ways and generosity flows
to Bob Cratchit and his ailing son Tiny Tim, colour flows more
freely.
This is an easy to read book and can quite easily be used by many to
reflect on the need to consider others at Christmas and to be
generous with what we have . . . before it is too late.
Highly recommended.
Carolyn Hull
The dam by David Almond
Ill. by Levi Pinfold. Walker Studio, 2018. ISBN 9781406304879
(Age: all) Highly recommended. Themes: Conservation, Environment,
Music, Dams, Loss, Hope, Picture book for older readers. Based on a
true story told to Almond by musicians Kathryn and Mike Tickells, The
dam celebrates the power of the human spirit and the beauty of
music. In the 1980's, the largest artificial lake in the UK, was
formed. Farms and houses were submerged and a village drowned, as
the Keilder Valley was dammed and allowed to fill with water over
the following two years. This wild and beautiful part of North
Northumberland would be inundated. But before this happened a father
and his daughter visited each of the houses in turn, the girl
playing her fiddle and the father singing for the last time within
the walls.
This part of England is well known for its rich musical history and
the work done by the girl and her father heralded the importance of
music to the people whose houses were disappearing. Their music
evoked the very essence of the houses and the people, ensuring its
survival. The lake is now a beautiful place, full of history and
music which can never be stilled. While the past can be mourned, the
present remembers the past through the music which can still be
heard, if people stop to listen. Behind the dam Within the water
the music stays, Will never be gone.
Beautifully illustrated by Queensland illustrator, Levi Pinfold,
this poignant picture book will stay with readers as they think
about change and its impact on us all. The musicians and their music
come alive on the pages, the love for music shining through the
pages, with people singing and dancing on the banks of the lake as
the music is celebrated even though the landscape has undergone
incredible change.
This is an unforgettable picture book, with author and illustrator
combining to give the reader a story full of the sadness of change,
but using music to garner the forces which remind us of what has
gone before, impelling us never to forget. The luminous
illustrations, sepia at first, adds more blue to the palette as the
story gathers force, reminding us that although change happens, the
past can be remembered and celebrated through music.
The sweeping vistas of the Northumberland landscape will astound the
readers, their brooding vastness there to be seen and almost touched
in these illustrations. The wonderful squat stone houses, empty for
the rising water are gorgeously portrayed, redolent of the past and
now filled with music waiting for the inundation. A book to savour.
Fran Knight
Broken things by Lauren Oliver
Hodder and Stoughton, 2018. ISBN 9781444786859
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: Thriller. Murder. Friendship.
Secrecy. Diversity. Fandom. Brynn and Mia are reunited five years
after the brutal murder of their friend Summer. Everyone believes
that they, along with their friend Owen, killed her although there
is no conclusive evidence to prove that and they have been wrongly
accused. Given the name The Monsters of Brickhouse Lane they are
shunned and harassed by the townspeople. Determined to prove their
innocence they must confront what happened in the woods that
dreadful day.
Oliver deftly takes the reader into the minds of three young girls,
all lonely and misfits, who are obsessed with a novel called 'The
way into Lovelorn', which ends in mid-sentence. They begin to
write a sequel and become immersed in a fantasy world, with a
strange figure, the Shadow, featuring prominently. Told in
alternative chapters by Brynn and Mia, with excerpts from 'The
way into Lovelorn' and their fanfiction sequel, events in both
the past and present gradually unfold. Then the two friends get
together with Owen, and assisted by Abby and Wade, try to trace what
really happened leading up to Summer's murder.
One of the strengths of Broken things is Oliver's in-depth
characterisation. The reader gets to know the three girls really
well when they are young 13 year olds trying to navigate through
school and friendship crisis, as well as five years later, having to
manage to survive through the townspeople's abuse and family
difficulties. There is brash, gay Brynn who feels she can't go home
and with the help of her cousin Wade, fakes drug tests to stay in
rehab, shy Mia who has problems getting words out and who is in love
with Owen, and Summer, charismatic yet often cruel and brutal with
her friends and boyfriends. Their sidekicks, Wade and Abby, are
fascinating as well - Abby is overweight and proud of it and is
popular online, while Wade, very intelligent, is not very likeable.
This was a compulsive read and will appeal to readers who enjoyed
other books by Oliver, Panic
and Vanishing
girls or We
were liars by E. Lockhart and One
of us is lying by Karen M. McManus.
Pat Pledger
The awesome book of space: The world's most awesome facts by Adam Frost
Bloomsbury, 2018. ISBN 9781408896501
(Age: 8+) Highly recommended. Subjects: The Universe. Space. General
Knowledge. Award-winning UK author Adam Frost continues to deliver
another exciting information book jam-packed with the strange, the
record-breaking and the amazing. His focus is the Universe
beginning with Arthur the alien, who wants to return home using
helium balloons! For his size - 26 kgs - he will need over 2000
balloons! Written in a conversational style directly addressing the
reader, Frost takes us on a wild ride, up into the thermosphere,
then looks at freefalling back to Earth being caught in a giant net.
How many pairs of underpants would you need for a year on a space-
station? There are no washing machines, so what happens to the used
ones - they become shooting stars! What happens when the next
asteroid hits the earth? Scientists have suggested catching it with
a giant drawstring bag and setting robot drills to eat the rock and
return the smaller pieces into space.
Each double page spread is creatively designed with bold
backgrounds, fun fact boxes, colourful diagrams, graphs and
cartoons. Hero or Zero discusses the impact of zero gravity in a
space station, tears just stay under your eyes, magnetic cutlery is
needed and your bed is strapped to the wall or ceiling.
Adam Frost has gathered information from all over the Universe,
recorded alien sightings, birthdays on other planets, even extreme
exoplanets. The awesome book of space is a mini-almanac of information
that can be enjoyed by the space enthusiast, shared with family and
friends or as an excellent resource for the classroom and library.
Rhyllis Bignell
The way home for Wolf by Rachel Bright
Ill. by Jim Field. Orchard, 2019. ISBN 9781408349205
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Friendship, Caregivers, Lost.
Assured wolf cub Wilf thinks he can do anything. He is full of
confidence, itching to be grown up and lead the pack. When the pack
needs to move because another animal has taken over their den, they
must roam many miles, searching for a new home, through the snow and
ice of the North Pole. Midwinter with the borealis lighting the
night sky, they trudge on through snowfalls and blizzards. Wilf
strays behind and when he recovers he has lost the pack. He has gone
astray and is unsure of what to do. Setting down for the night the
ice cracks beneath him and falling he is taken up by a watery
unicorn who gathers him onto her tusk and lifts him onto the shore.
Here she passes him over to her friend, Mr Walrus and he takes the
young cub to Musk-Ox.
Each time he is passed from one animal to another readers will be
excited to predict the rhyming word as they turn the page. The story
is in four line rhyming stanzas, encouraging children to predict the
last word of the next line, and marvel at the way the story is
expressed. It makes easy reading and many of the phrases will stop
the readers as they ponder the image presented. I loved the "howling
of wolves" and the "wafting of fish" amongst others, and found
myself reading it over again to check out the rhymes and word
images.
The illustrations reflect the story, taking the reader into the cold
and bleak northern Arctic, feeling lost with Wilf as he attempts to
navigate the white and grey expanse. Field's use of white and grey,
the dark and the shadows, is wonderful, making every reader feel
alone in the wilderness with the wolf cub.
Wilf passes through a number of hands before he is reunited with his
pack, and they huddle and cuddle their lost cub, welcoming him back
to the pack. He is a wiser little cub.
A wonderful read aloud, this cautionary tale will be loved by all
readers as they recognise the comfort of friendship and family,
welcoming him home despite his bravado which helped him get lost in
the first place.
Fran Knight
Boats: Fast and Slow by Iris Volant and Jarom Vogel
Flying Eye Books, 2018. ISBN 9781911171928
(Age: 7-10) Subjects: Boats, Ships, Sea craft. Boats: Fast and
Slow introduces in a simplified format the history of boats
from the earliest rafts of woven reeds and Native American log
canoes and on to boat festivals and modern sailing boats. The facts
are presented in an easy to read format, beginning with a
uncomplicated definition that 'boats carry people across water' and
they are powered by sails, engines or human effort.
Not all boats are the same is such an obvious statement, why include
it? Very basic overviews are included, without a depth of
information that even young boat enthusiasts are keen to read. War
boats introduces the Corinthian trireme used for battle by the
Ancient Greeks. Three rows of oarsmen powered the sailing ship which
had a ramming device at the bow of the ship. The seafaring Vikings
built strong and sturdy longships capable of taken them across the
seas to raid the Northern European countries.
Jumping to the early 19th century, we read of the Chinese pirate
queen, Ching Shih, who commanded 300 ships and 30,000 pirates.
Famous naturalist Charles Darwin and his sailing ship the HMS Beagle
is included, with his scientific expedition to the Galapagos Islands
noted. Steam-powered vessels are presented, manufactured in iron and
steel, with coal furnaces to propel them across the oceans. From
ancient Dragon Boat Festivals to the America's Cup, boats have been
used for 'sport and leisure since the earliest times.'
Jarom Vogel's digital images sweep across the pages, the stylised
boats, ships and recreational craft add interest to this historical
look at seafaring history. Boats: fast and Slow is a useful
resource for a Middle Primary class as a springboard into exploring
the history of transport.
Rhyllis Bignell
Time's convert by Deborah Harkness
All soul's trilogy. Headline, 2018. ISBN 9780399564512.
(Ages: 16+) Recommended. Themes: Vampire/Historical fiction. Marcus
MacNeil is a centuries-old vampire who was made during the time of
the American revolution. This novelis split between Marcus's
memories of the past in 18th century America and his presence in the
21st century with his lover Phoebe as she begins to make the
transformation from human to vampire. He relives his own trials and
turmoils and ultimately discovers what family truly means to him and
to those he holds dear.
The characters of Time's convert were authentic to what time
frame they were set in and felt realistic and likeable as they
acted in ways that were true to what the novel painted them to be
e.g. the mentor or the villain. Since many of the characters in this
story were vampires the reader was able to see their attitudes and
beliefs from a much older time and how these ideas conflicted with
modern times. It was satisfying to see how the characters'
relationships with each other grow and their thinking shifts to fit
with the modern age as the experiences they endure shape them to be
wiser and more mature or the opposite. In turn, the reader's
relationship grows deeper as we see them struggle and overcome
challenges which give us a feeling of being connected to Marcus and
Phoebe.
The tone of the novel reads as a diary as Marcus tells us personally
the challenges and triumphs he faced as a newly made vampire and
Diana's a new mother and then Phoebes a newly made vampire in the
21st century. This creates a feeling of closeness with Marcus as we
watch him essentially grow up in front of our eyes. The reader ends
up caring deeply about what happens to Marcus and the people he
holds dear in the story. The switching point of views in the story
was an interesting a much-needed addition as we can see the
thoughts, feelings and trails of Diana, Phoebe and Marcus through
their own eyes. This was an effective way of driving the message of
the story about the meaning of family dynamics and maternal
relationships whilst also making it clear to the reader as each
character's experience is different and thus the reader can look at
the overarching theme from many angles.
The dialogue of Time's convert sounded extremely authentic
for the 18th century and modern day. This made it easy for the
reader to imagine what life was like in the different time frames
and feel more fully immersed in the story itself. Another
contributing factor to the story's allure was that each character
had a distinctive voice which showed rather than told the reader the
age, personality or even what religion the character was. This
helped in not only making the characters more memorable but also
aided in creating connections with the reader.
Amy Folker (Year 11 student)
