Robin

Eddie’s little sister, Scarlet, is very ill. Having been born with a heart condition, she often needs medical care, taking all his parents’ time and attention. Eddy loves Scarlet very much- but sometimes he feels invisible to others and focuses all his attention on being a ‘good’ boy, bottling up all his emotions and keeping the ‘monster’ they create deep inside. Whilst Scarlet faces another surgery, Eddie goes to stay with his Uncle John where he meets a robin in the snowy forest. This bird leads him to a mysterious wild girl, who wants him to find his voice and free his feelings…

‘Robin’ is sensitively written, poignant novel which explores the impact on a family of a serious illness. She has captured a loving, close family, who are each under the enormous strain of worry which Scarlet’s illness has caused, allowing the reader to empathise, not only with Scarlet, but Eddie and his parents as well. It is an incredibly powerful, well-considered story.

The healing power of nature is at the heart of the book as Uncle John encourages Eddie to share his secrets and thoughts with the trees whose ability to communicate and support one another reflects his deep need and desire to be really seen and supported by the people around him. Icy, snowy conditions enhance his feelings of isolation yet allow him to tune into the sustaining sounds of nature, eventually contrasting with the warmth of friendship and family.

As Eddie finds his voice through music and friendship, the whole family benefits from his bravery and honesty, becoming stronger as they acknowledge the importance of finding their ‘monstrous voice’. The beautiful writing is paired with evocative illustrations which enhance the magical, wintery atmosphere of the story. Adults thinking of sharing this with any child would be well advised to read it first, not only because it is well worth reading.

Robin

Sarah Ann Juckes, illustrated by Linde Faas

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398531055

Wands Away! Learning to Fly

Ramona Spellstar is about to head off for her first day at Wands Away School of Magic. Although excited, she is a little nervous; however, she soon makes friends and has fun in the forest, learning how to fly.

‘Wands Away! Learning to Fly’ is a delightful story, perfect for newly independent readers, tackling longer reads or for a special shared read.

Ramona’s nerves at starting somewhere new offer a great opportunity for discussing and sharing these feelings. As she talks things through with her mum, Ramona realises that these feelings are quite normal and that they should not stop her from looking forward to the new experiences and surprises that are waiting for her. Sharing a hot chocolate along with her worries also helps!

There are no mean children, no cliques and no wicked teachers for Ramona to contend with, making her time at school exciting, enjoyable and safe, reassuring little ones that their school experiences can be positive.

Ramona quickly makes friends and has great fun exploring the wonders of nature, discovering its secrets. Seeing the fun that Ramona, Cleo and Enrique have mapping their way through the forest is sure to inspire children to get out into nature themselves and perhaps create fun maps of their own, naming local features and locations in their own ‘magical’ way!

The illustrations are colourful, fun and appealing, adding much to the story. Although Ramona and her friends are the focus, there are some pages showing all the children in the class with speech bubbles showing what they are thinking, allowing children to develop an interest in the whole class who might, perhaps, feature more in stories to come!

Wands Away! Learning to Fly

Emma Farrarons

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398543614

The Merry Christmas Murders

Brooke is not keen to start her new school. Even with Buoy, her emotional support dog, the experience threatens to be overwhelming. However, having met members of the Neurokind Club, she is willing to try, only to be faced with a murder on her first day. As the body count mounts, Brooke and her new friends turn detective and use their unique set of skills to track down the culprit.

As the festive season approaches, ‘The Merry Christmas Murders’ is sure to be a welcome addition to many stockings! Not only does the story present a very satisfying mystery to solve, but there are puzzles hidden throughout the book for readers to solve- or not!- along the way.

The Neurokind Club is a special group for neuridivergent pupils, set up Miss Asha, the school’s SENCO, who is an autistic ADHD-er. Four children- Robyn, Kellan, Nisha and Mikey- with a range of needs attend the club, enabling readers to understand and empathise the different ways in which the world can be a challenging, and sometime incomprehensible, place for neurodivergent children (and adults) and offering an insight into some the strategies they might use/ need to help them cope.

As the story progresses, the Neurokind Club become a real team, each bringing different skills to help solve the murder. As with any friendships, they experience ups and downs, but ultimately, as Brooke says, ‘We're like fairy lights, you see. Every one of the bulbs needs to be working for the lights to shine.’ This lovely image perfectly illustrates how true teams work- one of the many reasons this book would work so well as a class story! There is plenty to discuss and much to enjoy and children and teachers will enjoy trying to identify the murderer before Brooke and her team!

Throughout the story, there are pages where readers are encouraged to pause and list their suspects, reflecting on the clues and then narrowing it down to their top three suspects. There are plenty of twists, red herrings and clues peppered throughout, offering a challenging and satisfying mystery. I suspect -and hope- we will be hearing more from Brooke and her friends as they solve more cases in the future!

The Merry Christmas Murders

Alexandra Benedict

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978- 1398540873

Giggling Ghosts!

In a busy town, when it’s quiet after dark, there is a house full of ghosts who are ready to scare! Sneaking and spinning, gliding and booooing are all great fun, but their favourite thing to do is giggle.

Perfect for sharing, ‘Giggling Ghosts’ offers a fun, interactive story time. Bouncy rhyming text encourages children to join in with the little ghosts as they have a great time stretching, tiptoeing, jiggling and wiggling, encouraging everyone to be active and interpret the ghosts movements in their own way.

Although obviously full of ghosts, this is not really a spooky story making it just right for sharing with younger children at Hallowe’en time. The illustrations are lovely, showing ‘cute’ little ghosts surrounded by sparkling dust as they glide around and even the pictures showing them peeking round gravestones are not frightening! Children are sure to quickly identify their own favourite amongst the ghosts and follow its adventure from picture to picture as each seems to have its own personality. They might enjoy thinking up names for each one!

Sweet, gentle and fun, this lovely book would make a wonderful story time and could easily be used to inspire lots of craft activities!

Giggling Ghosts!

Fiz Osborne, illustrated by Tim Budgen

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398535084

Happy Hills: Mr Big Fluff Rules

The baddest hamster around, Mr Big Fluff, has decided that he is not as happy as he might be so he decides to steal some happy from Happy Hills. Will the Happy Hills gang be able to stop him?

The third ‘Happy Hills’ book, ‘Mr Big Fluff Rules’ continues the bonkers fun and complete chaos of the series perfectly! Sophy Henn’s genius for comedic timing, visual humour and crazy- yet appealing- storylines is well known and seems to get better with every book!

Bold, bright colours burst from every page as this comic strip caper introduces a new baddie- and threat to the happiness of Happy Hills- Mr Big Fluff, a mafia gangster style villain whose dialogue delivery will have adults chortling as well as kids. As might be expected, the Happy crew keep their home safe and help Mr Big Fluff find his own kind of happy along the way.

As usual, there are the additional sub-plots scattered throughout the story and some excellent drawing advice from Sophie at the end. One section shows Sparks finding fame on Spit Spot, a genius story showing the futility of chasing likes from ‘friends’ you don’t even know and constantly trying to up the ante only to be discarded the minute something else becomes ‘popular’!

I would say that this would make an excellent bedtime story- but it is guaranteed to cause lots of laughing and inspire an immediate desire to draw so perhaps it is better suited to other times of the day!

Happy Hills: Mr Big Fluff Rules

Sophy Henn

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398524668

You can read my review of ‘Happy Hills: Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens’ here.

Felix and the Future Agency

Felix has a special ability- but one which often gets him into trouble and makes others think he’s weird. Being able to foresee the future, he tries to warn others to keep them safe, often resulting in his getting the blame for what happens. However, when offered a place at Sparkleton High School, an ‘institution whose sole purpose is to educate challenging pupils’, Felix is amazed to find that this is actually a cover story for the Future Agency, a secret organisation full of people like him. Soon, he is learning how to control and develop his abilities and making friends until a dark spectre appears threatening everything Felix has just discovered…

Fast paced and full of energy, ‘Felix and the Future Agency’ is a cracking read, full of humour and heart.

Felix is a brilliant character, who tries hard to do the ‘right’ thing, but is often consumed by feelings of frustration and anger as people misunderstand or judge him. Isolated by his power, it is a real pleasure to see him make friends as he ‘finds his people’ and develops his skills. Readers are sure to empathise with his emotions as he struggles to deal with ‘normal’ school and share his excitement as he explores his new life. In his new friendships, he shows himself to be loyal and courageous, quick to defend and support others.

One thing which I really love about this story is how it draws on elements from this world! In the afterword, the author explains that Felix’s world was inspired by a real-life organisation called the Premonitions Bureau, created in the late 1960s and offers a little background on this. From this spark, she has created an absorbing world, full of detail, weaving elements from history into its fabric like Mother Redcap, William Terriss and Shakespeare! For the historically curious, it is a real joy be able to investigate further and discover more about these figures. Felix’s world is skilfully developed with many little details which add so much colour and interest to what is a brilliant adventure.

Plenty of tension and red herrings keep readers guessing about the identity of the villain of the piece right to the end and the story is left wide open for a sequel (or series?) continuing Felix’s adventures which I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands on!

Felix and the Future Agency

Rachel Morrisroe

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398539280

You can read my review of ‘How to Grow a Dragon’ here.

Elephant Can’t Jump

Elephant is determined to take part in the Big Boing Off competition this year. All the usual contestants, Flea, Frog, Goat and Kangaroo, are taking part and are expert jumpers, but when Elephant tries, she finds she just can’t jump!

However, with some creative thinking, perseverance and a little help from her friends, perhaps Elephant can find a way to jump after all.

‘Elephant Can’t Jump’ is a real ‘feel good’ story, perfect for sharing with little ones, which offers a really positive message about perseverance and determination.

Determined to enter the competition, Elephant is supported by her friends in trying to find a solution to her problem. As each attempt fails, she shows great resilience as her friends come up with creative ways of helping her to achieve her goal. They all keep trying until, together, they have ensured their friend’s success and can all celebrate together!

The story reminds readers that there is no one right way of doing things. Each of the animals has their own approach and techniques for jumping- no one way better than the other- which allow them to experience success. When none of these ways work for Elephant, they simply set about finding a way which suits her and allows her to achieve her goal. Although delighted with herself, Elephant is quick to thank her friends for their help, showing that teamwork, friendship and determination make an excellent combination!

Robert Starling’s colourful illustrations are full of humour, energy and colour, with plenty of details to spot. The book if perfect for sharing at home or at school, offering an excellent starting point for discussions about perseverance and looking for alternative ways of finding a solution! Great fun!

Elephant Can’t Jump

Pip Jones, illustrated by Robert Starling

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471193316

Basil Dreams Big

Basil the bat doesn’t believe that he can fly. Encouraged by his friend, Moth, and the rest of the fruit bats, he tries and tries, but with no luck. However, when as storm threatens Moth, Basil realises that anything is possible.

Told in bouncy, rhyming text, ‘Basil Dreams Big’ is an absolute dream to read aloud, making it perfect for sharing!

Children will empathise with Basil as he struggles to master a new skill. No matter what he does, his efforts seem fruitless, but ultimately, resilience and self-belief enable him to overcome his fears. Supported by friends and family, he struggles to find the courage until his best friend needs him and everything falls into place. Children will relate to his worries and the book makes a perfect starting point for discussions about resilience, determination and not giving up.

Gorgeous illustrations accompany the story and these could also be used with a class- or individual child- to pause the story and explore Basil’s feelings at different points, perhaps using role play or gathering vocabulary. Children might share a personal (realistic!) goal recorded on a ‘Basil’ shape which they are determined to achieve, creating a display to encourage perseverance.

Used alongside other areas of the curriculum, the book might also inspire research into fruit bats. Some of the lovely phrasing used in the story might also be explored- ‘moonlit-kissed world’, ‘dawn-dusted tree’, ‘storm-tumbled skies’- perhaps encouraging children to create their own descriptive words or phrases- even leading to poetry writing!

A really lovely book!

Basil Dreams Big

Lu Fraser, illustrated by Sarah Warburton

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398525832

Published 24th April 2025

Deep Dark

Cassia Thorne lives in the Fleet with her father, who is in prison for debt. She does what she can to support them by selling ballads in the streets and giving music lessons. When the younger brother of her friend goes missing, Cassia is determined to find him and with the help of Teo, a pickpocket and Felix Bradshaw, a well-to-do young man, she discovers a sinister plot, involving missing children and rumours of a fearsome beast lurking beneath the streets of London.

‘Deep Dark’ combines historical detail, fantasy and a sinister mystery to create a compelling adventure.

Set in Victorian London, the story includes plenty of real history. The threat of the workhouse, the evils of debtors’ prison, the lives of mudlarks and costermongers all help to build a vivid picture of Cassia’s world as she strives to make more of her life. Trapped in the Fleet due to her father’s misfortunes, she is determined to free herself from the poverty and limitations of her life whilst painfully aware that she is only one step away from life in the workhouse. The excitement and wonders St Bartholomew’s Fair offers a stark contrast to these realities, capturing the bustle and energy of those enjoying its sights and sounds.

A note at the end of the book adds some historical detail and context, offering suggestions for further investigation and research should readers wish to discover more whilst a map at the beginning allows them to follow Cassia’s adventures and realise that many of these places are still there in today’s London.

Cassia is a really strong, well-rounded character. Although ambitious and determined, she also experiences moments of doubt about the enormity of what she is trying to do and the realities of her situation. A loyal friend with a big heart, it is impossible not to like her and feel invested in her success as she takes on a seemingly impossible challenge, locating and freeing the missing children, caring when others so not. The contrast between Teo and Felix underlines the lack of social equality which existed (and continues to do so). Each boy is full of personality, each endearing in their own way.

The story comes to a satisfying conclusion, yet there is obviously more to come for Cassia, leaving readers keen for the next book to appear! ‘Deep Dark’ would make an excellent story time read for a Y6 class with plenty of tension and excitement to keep them on the edge of their seats as they root for Cassia every step of the way!

Deep Dark (A Cassia Thorne Mystery)

Zohra Nabi

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398532922

Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

Twins, Misha and Ziggy, share a secret. Misha can talk to animals whilst Ziggy can shapeshift into them. When they accompany their dad, a wildlife TV presenter, on a trip to Ethiopia, they are determined to help him find the legendary black lion. However, when they discover poachers are threatening the wildlife, they are sure they can use their powers to help.

‘Legend of the Black Lion’ is a very engaging and enjoyable adventure story. The idea of being able to speak to animals is really appealing, making this sure to be a very popular book- the first of a new series.

The twins are lively and full of personality, who share a lovely relationship with their hard-working dad. Excited to see all the wildlife, they are also keen to use their powers to help their father get footage of the famous- and elusive- black lion. Their adventure contains just the right amount of jeopardy and tension to make the story exciting without causing upset and reaches a very satisfying conclusion where the goodies triumph and all is well!

Another lovely thing about this story is the amount of general information it contains about Ethiopia and its wildlife. Readers are sure to be fascinated by the fact that Ethiopia has a different calendar to the Western one, for example. Additional information at the end of the book about both black lions and Ethiopia is included and there are plenty of lovely illustrations, bursting with personality, which add much to the story.

‘Legend of the Black Lion’ would make an excellent class story!

Wild Magic: Legend of the Black Lion

Abiola Bello, illustrated by Emma McCann

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398520486

I Hate Everything!

When a ghost decides that they hate everything, it is challenged by another ghost to think about what it is really saying. Having agreed that it doesn’t hate its friend, sweets and dressing up, it then has to admit that it has actually forgotten what it is that it hates and decides that it loves everything…well, nearly everything!

Sophy Henn has done it once again with another fabulous book which shows just how well she understands children! ‘I Hate Everything!’ is a complete joy, capturing the big emotions and big reactions which toddlers (and some older children!) experience and just don’t know how to handle.

The gentle humour of the story allows readers to laugh with the big ghost as the little ghost challenges its statement that it hates everything. Families sharing this are sure to create lists of all the things which they enjoy and love to prove that although they might feel like they ‘hate everything’, nothing could be further from the truth. As usual with Sophy’s stories, there is so much to discuss in such a seemingly simple story, including the twist at the end of the tale!

So much emotion and personality is conveyed through Sophy’s skilful illustrations. How simple lines can create eyes and eyebrows which are so emotionally charged is incredible- but she does it so brilliantly, making the story accessible to all including those who experience difficulties in expressing their feelings or interpreting those of others. Little children can easily ‘read’ the pictures, if not the words, and perhaps enjoy creating their own stories about the two ghosts and drawing their own illustrations taking inspiration from Sophy’s.

Simply lovely- Sophy is a genius!

I Hate Everything!

Sophy Henn

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398526792

The Hare Who Wouldn’t Share

Hare lives on his own and grows turnips. When a family of rabbits move in to the other side of the woods, they ask if he has any turnips that he can share, but he sends them away, saying he doesn’t like to share with anyone. One day, when out walking, he notices that the rabbits have grown a lovely patch of carrots which they invite him- and other animals from the wood- to share. He refuses, but when a huge boar threatens to destroy all their hard work, Hare is determined to help them.

With a wonderful message about the importance of sharing, ‘The Hare Who Wouldn’t Share’ is perfect for developing conversations about community and working together. Hare believes that he is happy- he grows his own turnips, working hard for himself and keeping all his produce. When he sees the rabbits sharing the results of their hard work with the other animals, it gives him plenty to think about. Why when they have so little would they want to give away so much? The story offers plenty of opportunity for role play and hot-seating activities to help children explore and understand the feelings of different characters at different points in the book. The conclusion is just perfect with Hare coming to realise the benefits of being part of a community, of sharing and working with others.

The illustrations are utterly adorable. Each character is bursting with personality and there is so much to notice and enjoy in every picture, making this a book to return to again and again! One for every bookshelf!

The Hare Who Wouldn’t Share

Steve Small

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398522299

The Suitcase

When a little boy is left at his grandparent’s for the summer holidays, he expects to be completely bored as nothing ever happens there and there is nothing to do. However, when searching the attic, he finds a suitcase, full of mysterious things and photos of people having incredible adventures and doing exciting things. Determined to find out who they are, he starts to investigate…

This is such a lovely story, perfect for helping children to appreciate their grandparents - and perhaps their parents- as ‘real’ people who have lived interesting and varied lives in their own right as well as being the ‘boring’ people they see day after day. Readers will love spotting all the clues hidden in plain sight and piecing together the solution whilst the young lad puzzles over the evidence. There is plenty here to amuse adults as well as children- a tape of ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ is labelled as possibly being some sort of spying equipment, for example!

The story would make an excellent starting point for developing children’s interest in their own family history, encouraging them to talk to relations and learn more about their lives and perhaps discovering new interests which they can share. For some family’s looking at the past might not be possible, but the story could lead to creating their own ‘suitcase’ of memorabilia of a holiday or day spent together (whether at home or away!), forging new memories and strengthening bonds across generations.

I could wax lyrical for hours about the fabulous illustrations - the antics of the cat, the before and after photos on the end papers, the links between the grandparents past and present lives- there is so much to notice and enjoy!

Heart-warming and joyful, ‘The Suitcase’ helps readers understand that other people might be more interesting that we give them credit for!

The Suitcase Daniela Sosa

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398518698

Happy Hills: Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens

When Ace the unicorn gets lost, he stumbles on Happy Hills, a place where anything can happen. Soon, all the residents are keen to share their own version of The Legend of Happy Hills whilst ‘the hills are alive with the sound of Giant Danger Kittens’! But in the end, Ace decides to stay with his new friends in Happy Hills.

Packed with Sophy’s amazing illustrations and zany humour, ‘Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens’ is bursting with fun and energy! Each character is full of personality! From the exuberance and perkiness of Mimi to the feather-fearing Duckie, children will quickly identify with their favourite and no doubt have fun both creating their own new characters and more adventures. Sophy’s how-to guides for drawing Mimi and Ace at the end of the book are perfect for helping with this.

These quirky characters, colourful comic strips and zany humour offer the perfect mix of nonsense (in a good way!) and fantasy, which Sophy Henn’s magic touch turns into a fantastically enjoyable read! Children will be counting the days until the next book appears…

Happy Hills: Attack of the Giant Danger Kittens

Sophy Henn

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398524606

You can read my review of Pizazz vs Perfecto here and Pizazz and Pizazz vs the New Kid here and Pizazz vs the Demons here.

Twice Upon a Time

The Morrow twins, Merry and Spike, have an unusual connection with time. One born before midnight, one after, they are not only born on different days, but different years, with clocks in the house stopping to mark the time for each. When their mother, an art restorer, takes a job at Fox House, the twins are convinced they are in for a dreary holiday, but they soon find themselves caught up in mysterious happenings and unsolved mysteries which they begin to investigate using their own secret - the power to manipulate time.

I am a huge fan of Michelle Harrison’s books, particularly the ‘Pinch of Magic’ series. The brilliantly developed Widdershins sisters and cleverly drawn, well-imagined locations of these stories make them compelling reading and I was delighted to find that characters and settings are also strengths of ‘Twice Upon a Time’!

The Morrow twins might be identical, but they have very different personalities and tendencies. Merry (Meredith) is a dreamer, full of imagination and a love of words, constantly writing poems whilst Spike (Rose) has a fascination with poisons and as her nickname suggests, a somewhat prickly personality. Since having had meningitis a few years ago, Spike suffers with tinnitus, which affects her greatly, causing the reader to both develop an awareness of, and empathise with, her condition. They make a great team, using their talent occasionally for mischief, but more often to help unravel the mystery surrounding Fox House. Ben Gumbley, who lives at the house, makes an excellent addition to the group and is soon party to their secret.

The plot is perfectly paced, with clues and misdirection along the way, as it builds to a very satisfying conclusion. I have no wish to spoil the story for anyone else so won’t say any more about it, except that it is an excellent read. My only concern is whether there will be any more stories about the Merrow girls- and possibly Ben! It feels to me as if there should me more adventures for them- and yet, the book works perfectly as a stand alone. Perhaps I’m just being greedy!

Twice Upon a Time

Michelle Harrison, illustrated by Natalie Smillie

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471197673

You can read my review of ‘A Pinch of Magic’ here, ‘A Sprinkle of Sorcery’ here, ‘A Tangle of Spells’ here and ‘A Storm of Sisters’ here.

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

Bridie is one of the many youngsters selling matches on the streets of Victorian London. Her mother works long hours in dangerous conditions as a dipper in the Bryant and May Match Factory and even her six-year-old brother, Fergal, spends long hours making matchboxes in their tiny home. When trouble strikes and leaves Bridie hurt and alone, with just three matches left, magic happens when she strikes each one, allowing her to see visions of a different, brighter future. Realising she can change the future, the little match girl leads the factory workers out on strike and to achieve remarkable things.

Based on the real-life events of the matchgirls’ strike, this is a re-working of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic ‘The Little Matchgirl’. Like the original matchgirl, Bridie is cold, poor and hungry, but that’s where the similarity ends. Flame haired Bridie sparks with life, using her skill as a storyteller to charm people into buying her matches. Her determination and street savvy attitude, essential to her survival on the streets of Victorian London, make her a far more rounded, appealing character than Anderson’s ‘little child’. Her indignation at the injustices she sees all around her – the appalling conditions her mother works in, the bullying pettiness of the male supervisors in the factory, her mother’s encroaching illness to name a few - is infectious, leading the reader to empathise with her situation, but unlike the original, to feel a genuine – and justifiable- anger targeted at those responsible.

The story is sure to inspire some readers to investigate Annie Besant’s role in these events and research further into the events of this historic occasion. The newspaper article written by Annie, for example, can be seen on-line. Reading the story instantly made me want to know more about the girls involved and I have tried to locate those who are named as part of the Union committee in the census returns for 1881/91, but have had limited success in the short time I have been searching, finding only one possible entry for Mary (Polly) Driscol.

Taken from the 1891 Census

Emma has done a wonderful job of including elements from the original- the loss of the mother’s over-large slippers, the boy who takes them (although very different in this telling), the danger of carriages, the longing for goose- but has transformed the story into so much more. Books like this are essential for broadening children’s historical knowledge to events not taught in school and sparking their interest. Additional information from both author and illustrator is included at the end, accompanied by photographs, adding to the reader’s understanding of these events. In addition to being an excellent independent read, the book would work well as a guided reading or whole class text. It offers so many opportunities for discussion, role play and debate, leading to quality writing in a wide range of forms and enriching the curriculum, allowing children to make links with other areas of learning, deepening their understanding of living conditions in Victorian England and making them question how things have changed- or not.

Lauren’s illustrations and the use of varied typography add to the appeal of the story and the elliptical breaks within chapters will support children who feel overwhelmed by lengthy chapters, offering natural places for them to take a break in their reading should they need to do so. The accessible format does not prevent the story from containing plenty of challenge.

I have reviewed the book for someone else, but love it so much that I had to add some more here! Definitely one I will be planning for as a guided reading text, ‘The Little Match Girl Strikes Back’ is an excellent read.

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

Emma Carroll, illustrated by Lauren Child

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978- 1398512818

Published 15th September 2022

You can read my review of ‘Escape to the River Sea’ here.

The Secret Sunshine Project

Shortly after the death of their father, Bea, Riley and their mum leave their home in London to stay with their Gran in the country. Last summer, after Riley had come out as gay, the family had had the best day ever at London Pride and memories of this special, colourful day make their current situation seem all the more bleak. As Bea makes new friends, she is concerned by her sister’s sadness and decides to create an event that will put the smile back on her face. However, the village is dominated by the unpleasant Rita Ruckus who is determined that nothing will get in the way of her summer fete…particularly not Bea’s Secret Sunshine Project.

‘The Secret Sunshine Project’ is a delightful story of kindness, love and courage. Bea’s family is close knit, loving and supportive and this shines through in the way in which they throw themselves into the Pride celebrations to support Riley. The joyful descriptions of these celebrations, full of colour, excitement and laughter, are wonderful to read and create a stark contrast to everyone’s emotions following the death of their father. The story clearly shows how grief affects different people in different ways and how people cope with the overwhelming emotions it causes. Bea feels she has to be strong for others, Riley becomes withdrawn and angry and mum struggling to help them whilst coping herself.

The story overflows with fabulous characters- each worth a mention! Bea is just delightful and her devotion to her sister, whilst coping with her own grief, is beautifully captured. Although her summer plans have been ruined, she is determined to make the best of her new situation and bring happiness to others. Gran is the best ever- such a strong, determined woman with such pizazz and such heart- I’d love to have her on my side in an argument!

Understanding and acceptance are strong themes through the book and its positive ending leaves the reader with a real feel-good factor and plenty of hope for the future. Sandhya Prabhat’s fabulous illustrations capture the mood and heart of the story perfectly with the cover illustration being a personal favourite.

A fabulous book for sharing for so many reasons, ‘The Secret Sunshine Project’ is a brilliant story full of a few tears and lots of love and laughter!

The Secret Sunshine Project

Benjamin Dean, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1398517875

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone

A Storm of Sisters

When cousin Clarissa needs looking after, the Widdershins sisters and their Granny set off for the Wilderness to look after her. The girls are excited to find that there is not room for them all to stay ta cousin Clarissa’s house and they will be staying at Echo Hall-without Granny. With the mysterious legend of a highwayman, a winter market to explore and the possibility of masked ball to attend, there is much to enjoy, but the town has an eerie past and the girls find themselves caught up in the ghostly happenings at the Hall.

I have loved each of the books about the Widdershins sisters, but I think this is the best yet! Betty, keen to travel and adventurous as ever, is enthralled by the legend of the highwayman surrounding Echo Hall and delighted to find an unsolved mystery in the very place they are staying. Fliss is more concerned with the prospect of a masked ball, having her fortune told and perhaps falling in love whereas Charlie remains as Charlie-like as ever! Together, they make a formidable team, but all their determination and love for family might not be enough to keep them safe in the face of ghosts and devious goings on.

Wintery Wilderness is the perfect backdrop to this story. Atmospheric descriptions help build tension as eerie events develop and the girls find themselves entwined in the mystery of the highwayman. As ever, evocative place names are carefully chosen to enhance the atmosphere.    

Gripping from the outset, ‘A Storm of Sisters’ is an excellent, absorbing read, full of mystery and magic. Just brilliant!

A Storm of Sisters Michelle Harrison

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471197659

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.

Pizazz vs Perfecto

Being super is not easy…

Pizazz is 9 1/2 (finally!), super (in terms of being a super hero) and she still is not at all keen on this role. She finds being super super un-super and her *eye roll* super power SUPER embarrassing. On top of this, she has to deal with super villains- like Perfecto. Being younger, she should be no match for Pizazz, but then Perfecto is…well, perfect. Perhaps Pizazz just needs to beat her at her own game and hatches the perfect Perfecto plan to be perfect in every single way…

The third book in the series, ‘Pizazz vs Perfecto’ is every bit as enjoyable as the previous books. Overflowing with Sophy Henn’s fabulous illustrations, the story is told through the perfect balance of text, comic strip sections and illustrations, making it an accessible and entertaining read.

Sophy has an amazing talent for being able to capture situations and emotions and bundling them up in appealing stories which make them excellent for initiating discussions and developing empathy. In her ‘Pom Pom’ books, for example, she explores the ‘grumps’, what happens when we don’t always win and finding our talents in a way which children (and adults!) can both relate to and sympathise with. Although ‘Pizazz vs Perfecto’ is brimming with humour and Pizazz’s eye-rolling take on life, Sophy also gently makes the point that being ‘perfect’ is like trying to achieve the impossible all the time. Not only is it exhausting, it actually makes you miss out on all the fun bits of life and causes you to feel anxious. Pizazz might not be ‘perfect’, but her good-natured, big-hearted, slightly chaotic self is loveable just the way she is. Comparing yourself to others- whether friends or siblings- is never going to make you feel good about you!

Pizazz is extremely popular with children in my class. Initially attracted by the bright covers and dynamic illustrations, they quickly become engaged with Pizazz as a character, enjoying her battles with baddies and her struggles with being a super. One child recently declared that these were ‘the best books ever’ and is already looking forward to the next one!

Although appealing to early readers, these stories should not be underestimated. In addition to encouraging empathy and exploring feelings, work based around these books could encourage children to create their own comic strips/ graphic novels and develop their own characters. The books also lend themselves to plenty of drama and writing in role- and there is plenty of fun that could be had exploring how Sophy uses grammar and punctuation (yes, I know some people will think this is a contradiction-fun/grammar- but it’s all about how you do it!).

The ‘perfecto’ story!

Pizazz vs Perfecto Sophy Henn

Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978-1471194177

Pizazz’s first two adventures are ‘Pizazz’ (978-1471193989) and ‘Pizazz and the New Kid’ (978-1471194153). The stories do not need to be read in order as Pizazz is very good at filling the reader in with what’s happening in her life!