Brilliant middle-grade horror reads are not something that I find easy to come by which is a shame as children do have an appetite for the unexplained, ghostly tales and things that go bump in the night. What Lives in the Woods is the second book that I have read by Lindsay Currie, my first journey into her spooky mind was the brilliantly written Scritch Scratch. I had high expectations for another spine-tingling, heart-hammering read and Currie did not disappoint in what I can only describe as an absolute nightmare of a summer vacation…
Ginny is not impressed to be spending the summer in Saugatuck on the shore of Lake Michigan, particularly as it means missing a Mystery Writing Workshop. Renovation expert dad has been commissioned to renovate the legendary Woodmoor Manor and has whisked the family away for a month long vacation.
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The team at Barrington Stoke, who regularly seek out amazing authors that deliver brilliant stories in a short number of pages whilst dealing with big and real issues, have struck gold with their latest collaboration with Laura Dockrill. Blossom, one of the recent releases in the collection of accessible reads with a recommended reading age of 8+, will be adored by readers as much as customers love Tutu and Pops’ marvellous flowers.
Blossom has grown up in a house surrounded by plants that have come from the flower market stall that her beloved grandparents, Tutu and Pops used to run. Following their death, the stall has been passed onto Blossom’s parents but when once it brought happiness and joy it is now causing everything to go wrong. Her parents are arguing, dad is struggling, mum cannot study and there’s even talk of selling the stall.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave writes incredible stories and, I’ll whisper this quietly, I think that Julia and the Shark might be her best yet - and that’s coming from someone who ranks The Island at the End of Everything as one of his favourite ever children’s books.
Julia has been uprooted from her home in Hayle, Cornwall, and along with her mum, dad and cat Noodle is heading to the remote Scottish island of Unst, part of the Shetland archipelago. Dad is there to automate the lighthouse and marine biologist mum is on the hunt for the Greenland shark. Julia’s grandma suffered from dementia and mum believes that the shark could provide the answer to slowing down the ageing process and prevent others from suffering the pain that dementia brings. Mum and dad make for a rather odd couple, the complete opposites of one another; dad deals in numbers, facts and right and wrong whereas care-free and free-spirited mum loves possibles.
Chris Priestley is a master when it comes to delivering spooky, spine-tingling stories and his latest collaboration with Barrington Stoke packs all of the chills and thrills that I have come to expect.
Maya had a feeling something bad was going to happen today and she was right. When supply teacher Mr. Kumar asks the children to write creepy, winter-themed stories, the children have lots of deliciously dark and ‘cool’ ideas. Eerie tales of sinister snowmen, ice-skating ghosts, rising floodwaters, frozen bodies and a bewitched Jack Frost fill the room. As the stories are shared, Maya finds herself and her three friends starring in each one and they feel all too real. As the final story is shared by mysterious new girl Winter, skies darken, an icy chill descends in the library and children begin to freeze. Will Maya find a way to stop the nightmare and free the class from Winter’s terrifying grip…
I love children’s historical fiction and was delighted when I received a copy of Glen Blackwell’s new book. As a primary school teacher I have read many quality children’s books set during the second world war; Once, Goodnight Mister Tom, Letters from the Lighthouse, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, The Umbrella Mouse and Our Castle by the Sea are all superb and explore various aspects and experiences of World War 2. All of the aforementioned are must reads and I can now add The Blitz Bus to that list of wonderful wartime stories.
The Blitz Bus is the story of two children, Jack and Emmie, who inexplicably find themselves transported back to London, 1940, on their way home from school. At first they are convinced they have inadvertently stepped into a film set but then the bombs start falling, they attract the attention of the authorities, have to seek safety in the underground and it quickly becomes apparent that this is most definitely their new reality. Along with new friend Jan - a polish refugee - they must work to uncover the identity of a potential spy and try to find a way to get back home.
I have been eagerly awaiting Vashti Hardy’s second title for Barrington Stoke and may have let out a little squeal of excitement when it arrived at my door. The Puffin Portal is the sequel to the Griffin Gate and although it can be read as a stand-alone when the story-telling is as good as this you’d be well served to buy both.
Grace Griffin is now a fully fledged Griffin Warden along with her mother and brother, Bren, who use their magical map to teleport around Moreland answering calls of those who need help. Recently there have been lots of calls and the family have found themselves struggling to cope, there is even talk of recruiting an additional warden although mum thinks it best to keep the work within the family. Grace is responsible for dealing with most of the minor calls and whilst none are particularly interesting, Grace is convinced that the reported thefts of small items and the sighting of a bird at each crime scene are linked in some way. But when the clues lead to a remote island, Grace finds herself with a whole new mystery to solve… Little People, Big Dreams: Iris Apfel; Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, illustrated by Kristen Barnhart2/9/2021 I love the regularity in which new titles appear in the Little People, Big Dreams series and I love it even more when the title celebrates the life of someone I haven’t heard of.
Growing up in Queens, New York, only child Iris was surrounded by fabrics and loved nothing more than exploring the different colours and patterns. These early childhood experiences led to a life dedicated to fashion. Iris had style, flair and creativity and she made it her mission to find textiles that she wanted to wear, not to impress others but to wear to be herself. Bringing colour and fun with her wherever she went, the ‘rarest bird in the fashion world’ was her own style icon… Little People, Big Dreams: Mindy Kaling; Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, illustrated by Roza Nozari2/9/2021 The new additions to the brilliant Little People, Big Dreams series come thick and fast and when they are this good, I say ‘keep them coming’.
As a little girl, Mindy Kaling loved to laugh and loved to make other people laugh. What Mindy didn’t find funny was the lack of people that looked like her in the movies that she watched. There was only one thing to do about this, become a comedy writer. And so began a journey that would take Mindy from writing at her mother’s office to comedy clubs to becoming the star of her own TV show… Born into a Jewish family, Rosalind Franklin grew up in England. A model student who was curious and eager to learn, the high achiever developed a passion for science and loved putting things under the microscope. However, working in the field of chemistry was rare for a woman at the time. Thankfully, Rosalind wasn’t deterred by such a thing and she would go on to make one of the greatest ever scientific discoveries…
I’m so pleased that the story of Rosalind Franklin has been added to the Little People, Big Dreams series. She is, without question, one of the most important scientists of all time and whose ground-breaking work on DNA was revolutionary. The delightful biography charts her passion for science from an early age to her academic studies through to one of the biggest ever break-throughs in science.
I was so excited when this book arrived at my door last week and I had a battle on my hands to read it first. When my wife saw it, her first words were, “I like the look of that book,” her eyes drawn to the delightful front cover. We love to travel and Megan McKean’s new non-fiction book is packed full of fabulous places to visit throughout the year.
As the seasons come and go they bring change around the world and transform cities in wonderful ways. Mild spring weather bring flowers to life as tulips blossom in Amsterdam and spectacular cherry blossoms appear in Tokyo. Hot summer sun is the perfect weather for a BBQ in Sydney or partying on the beaches of Rio. Cooler autumn temperatures mark the first signs of fall in Montreal as maple leaves flutter to the ground and in Reykjavik it is time to gather the plentiful harvest. Whilst some hide away from the cold winter weather others flock to Queenstown to hit the ski slopes and Cape Town is the perfect place for whale watching. Whatever the season and whatever the weather, there is always something special going on somewhere in the world. So pack your suitcase, grab your passport and get ready for departure… |
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March 2024
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