Wild Journey

Starlings swoop and swirl their way through the stories of five children living in five different countries, linking their experiences as they experience their own journeys, as exciting and demanding as those of the birds soaring above.

With its beautifully composed, warm orange cover, ‘Wild Journey’ is a book which will tempt readers to pick it up at first glance. A murmuration of starlings encircle five little scenes, each giving a hint as to the content of one of the five stories inside, sure to pique curiosity. More clues are given on the back of the book as well as the names of the five locations and five children the stories are about.

Each child is on their own journey. Jamal is visiting relations in Egypt, Ella is on holiday with her family in Morocco, Aaron is in Spain where his father is working, Isabelle has gone on holiday to her Grand-pere’s house and Yusef has travelled from Syria to find a new home. These physical journeys are linked by the starlings’ migration, showing the wonder, power and resilience of these feathered miracles as they make their dangerous and demanding journey. But each of the children also makes a personal ‘journey’ as they learn more about themselves, their families and the world around them.

Perfect for sharing with a class, each, any or all of the stories would work well for a story time, offering plenty to discuss and reflect upon. Obviously, adults need to be aware of both the content and their audience, responding with sensitivity to any questions or comments. In the first story, for example, Jamal struggles with parting with the wounded starling which he has rescued both due to his loneliness and a desire to make his ill grandfather laugh and be happy, leading his grandfather to tell him, ‘Sometimes you have to let those you love go’.

The final story about Yusef seeking happiness and safely in his new home brings this heart-warming collection to a perfect conclusion. A real joy!

Wild Journey: A Flight of Stories across Deserts and Forests, Cities and Seas

A M Dassu, illustrated by Joe Lillington

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1035911899

Ghost

In 60 AD, Aine finds herself captured and enslaved by the Romans. Fleeing her new master, she hides in a tunnel where she finds an altar and unwittingly unleashes something dark. Centuries later, Sarah Gibson takes refuge in the woods after the death of her mother. Seeking to help others with her knowledge of healing, she is at ease with nature, sensing Aine’s restless spirit and wishing to help her. In the present day, Marie has ‘burned out’, dropping out of art college. She goes to stay with Jen, her aunt, following the death of her much loved Uncle Matty and senses that there is something wrong in the woods and yet is drawn to them by the connection she feels with the girls from the past.

‘Ghost’ is one of those books which is really hard to offer a summary for! Inspired by legends surrounding ‘Sally in the Woods’ in Wiltshire, it is an evocative read, celebrating connections through time and place, the beauty of the natural world and family love.

Perfect for anyone looking for something a little bit different, Finbar Hawkins effortlessly weaves together the stories of Aine, Sarah and Marie, creating a slightly eerie and compelling narrative, steeped in folklore and old magic. Each girl has lost loved ones and each finds courage in the face of adversity, combining across time to overcome evil and find peace. Each girls’ voice is heard in turn as the reader discovers more about their individual background before their stories merge and they vanquish the spirit haunting the woods.

Mesmerising is an excellent word to describe this story which is hard to do justice to in a review! It is more than ‘just’ a ghost story- it is a book which just has to be read!

Ghost

Finbar Hawkins

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1837933075

The Odyssey of Phoebe Quilliam

Phoebe has inherited her love of art and stories from her grandmother, Cass, spending much time with her in the sunny studio where they paint and share Greek myths. But Cass is struggling to remember things and has to go into a home. When Cass’s home is sold, Phoebe pays it one last visit and is swept into a strange adventure. Finding herself on a beach in Greece, she meets Leander, a boy who is on a quest to find out what happened to his father, one of King Odysseus’s shipbuilders, after the Trojan Wars. She also meets Hattie, her grandmother’s childhood friend, who sets Phoebe on a quest of her own- to defeat a monster and find her own way home.

This was a one-sitting read! Engaging from the first page, ‘The Odyssey of Phoebe Quilliam’ combines a thrilling adventure story with the poignant worries of a child coping with dementia in a loved one.

Like many children, Phoebe takes on worries which should not be hers, in this case, believing that she is responsible for her grandmother’s decline, that she should have told her mother that Cass was forgetting things. The close bond she and Cass share is beautifully captured, making both her grandmother’s decline and Phoebe’s feelings of guilt and loss all the more touching. The family are also dealing the the loss of Phoebe’s father who died whilst on a rescue for the RNLI and the fact that Cass has no memory of this, believing her son to still be alive, only adds to the family’s pain. This all makes the story sound very bleak- but it isn’t. Phoebe’s personal circumstances frame her adventure which is full of hope and healing… and action and adventure.

And there is plenty of action and adventure! Against a background of Greek myth, Phoebe and Leander embark on their quests, finding support and comfort in one another as they face dangers and dilemmas, overcoming their own fears and finding their way home once more. There are plenty of monsters, an epic sea voyage, excitement and peril in this imaginative and engrossing book!

The perfect candidate for story time selection, this book would make an excellent class read, engaging children with Greek myths and offering plenty to discuss and enjoy.

The Odyssey of Phoebe Quilliam

Annelise Gray

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1035911011

Published 11th September 2025

You can read my review of ‘Rider of the Storm’ here.

Blog Tour: Shadow Creatures

I am delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for ‘Shadow Creatures’, the latest novel by Chris Vick, whose books are both inspiring and enjoyable.

When visiting her family in Norway, Georgy persuades her grandmother, Tove, and Great-Aunt Liva to tell her about Agna, an old woman, who Georgy saw in the woods. What was initially a ploy to avoid doing the dishes develops into a fascinating story of their youth and the horrifying experience of life under the occupation of the Nazis.

My very simplistic synopsis does nothing to capture the essence of this amazing story, but I didn’t want to fall into the trap of retelling the entire plot! ‘Shadow Creatures’ is a very powerful, compelling book, inspired by family history and incredible people.

Set in occupied Norway during World War II, the action is told as a duel narrative which moves between sisters, Tove and Liva. Fjernoy, a magical island special to the villagers, is turned into a desolate prisoner of war camp and many are forced to work there, seeing first hand the harsh treatment of those held prisoner. In the face of such evil, each individual has to decide what acts of resistance they are prepared to make and how they can balance their own and their loved ones safety with following their conscience. Each viewpoint is skilfully explored with the emotions and experiences of different character being vividly conveyed, filling the reader with great empathy and leaving them wondering how they might have acted if put in this position.

‘Shadow Creatures’ also celebrates Norwegian folklore as the sisters take inspiration from the Huldrefolk, the hidden people- nisse, nixie, huldra, trolls- who act in the shadows to cause mischief and bring trouble to those who cross them. Since reading ‘Shadow Creatures’, I have been hunting for books of Norwegian folklore and am determinedly planning a holiday…

Listening to family, valuing their memories, sharing family history and explaining the importance of family mementos- realising that older people were once young and lived fascinating (or very ordinary!) lives- is something which can be left until it is too late, but through his work, Chris Vick reminds the reader of the importance of sharing time and listening to family around us. Without the incredible memories and experiences of his family, this wonderful novel would not have been written- and that would have been a great loss.

Right and wrong, good and evil- sometimes these things are not as simple as they seem and decisions we make can be complex and have far reaching consequences. ‘Shadow Creatures’ would make an excellent novel to read with children in Y6/7/8, offering not only a wealth of historical and cultural detail, but plenty to consider and discuss. Beautifully written, deeply moving and inspiring, this is a brilliant book!

Shadow Creatures

Chris Vick

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1837933167

Many thanks to Zephyr for inviting me to take part in the Blog Tour.

(I apologise if my review is a bit rambling, but I am struggling with Covid!)

NNFN2023: Ultimate Dinosaurs

Day 28 of National Non-Fiction November!

Endlessly fascinating to many young children, dinosaur books will always be popular. This series builds an extremely collectable library of pocket sized books introducing the reader to different dinosaurs in an extremely readable mix of science and humour.

Each book has been carefully researched, clearly presenting information in accessible chunks, supported by plenty of diagrams and cartoons. Each book starts by defining what a dinosaur is and a section of this chapter offers the same information from book to book, ensuring consistency. The following chapter, Dinosaur Detectives, then focuses in on the subject of the book. Here the reader finds a description and a family tree which explores relationships between dinosaurs. Helpful diagrams illustrate the size of these creatures in relation to a human and there are pronunciation guides for how to say each name.

Other chapters look at the discoveries relating to the named dinosaur, their anatomy and habitat. ‘New Science’ explores the latest ideas and ‘the battle’ looks at how the ‘evolutionary arms race’ would have played out, supported by a cartoon depiction.

Packed with fascinating facts, these small books are a wonderful resource for dinosaur lovers, old and young.

Ultimate Dinosaur: Microraptor

Ben Garrod, illustrated by Scott Hartman, Gabriel Ugueto and Ethan Kocak

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1804548301

Ultimate Dinosaur: Ankylosaurus

Ben Garrod, illustrated by Scott Hartman, Gabriel Ugueto and Ethan Kocak

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1804548271

All That It Ever Meant

Devastated by the loss of their mother, Mati, her siblings and father set off on a trip back to their father’s home in Zimbabwe. Each member of the family is struggling with their bereavement. Their father struggles with his own grief as well as the responsibility of looking after his children; seventeen-year-old Chichi is getting in trouble at school and picking on her siblings; ten-year-old Tana seeking escape, drinking Heineken to help him sleep with Mati, the thinker and observer of the family, tries watches everything carefully. Whilst on the trip, Mati finds herself joined by Meticais, a rather grumpy, mysterious and fabulously dressed gender-neutral figure who only Mati can see and talk to. Reluctantly, Mati comes to realise that Meticais is guiding her to come to terms with what has happened, slowly finding her way towards acceptance.

‘All That It Ever Meant’ is a stunning novel about love and loss, family and belonging. The complexities of human nature, relationships and emotions are all sensitively explored in this beautifully written, cleverly constructed and gripping story.

It is never clear whether Meticais is a figment of Meti’s imagination, a spirit, a ghost or something else, but their presence and conversation allows Meti to explore the complexities of her mother’s feelings about trying to assimilate to her new life in England- something which she never came to terms with and which affected the family dynamic as well as her mother’s mental health. As the family shares the road trip, the close proximity of their travelling and accommodation as well as the landscape they find themselves in force them to face up to past events and start to look to the future and cope with their loss.

Deeply poignant, this is an intriguing and compelling novel with one of those endings which just…

It’s a must read- and re-read- and re-read.

All That It Ever Meant

Blessing Musariri

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1035002477

Man-Man and the Tree of Memories

I am delighted to have been invited to take part in the Blog Tour for ‘Man-Man and the Tree of Memories’ today. Yaba Badoe is an amazing author- ‘A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars’ is a book I will never forget!- so I was really looking forward to reading this one and I was not disappointed.

Emmanuel- known as Man-Man- is really excited. It’s Carnival time and he, with his sister, Pan and best friend, Kareem, will be dancing to the beat of his dad’s sound system. As his mother, Trilby, is ill, Man-Man will be taking her place, leading the procession. His nan, who has come to England to help care for Trilby, doesn’t approve of their dancing, but the day arrives and knowing his mother is watching, Man-Man pleads for his mother to be made well again. To his amazement, The Queen of Revels appears and whisks him, Pan and Kareem away to Africa and shows him the Tree of Memories where they witness the the pain of their ancestors and begin to understand how it is causing their mother’s suffering in the present. Does Man-Man have ‘the courage to shape the future by soothing the scars’ of his family’s past?

‘Man-Man and the Tree of Memories’ is a powerful and poignant story. It captures the joy and energy of Carnival, the exhilaration and freedom of dance whilst also tackling serious topics of slavery, inequality and the impact the past can have on the present.

Relationships play a key role in the story. Man-Man and Kareem have a close bond of friendship , each valuing the other for who they are. Pan is a prickly older sister, yet one who obviously cares for her brother. Man-Man enjoys a close, loving relationship with his parents which is beautifully captured. His love for his mother shines through, pushing him to dance harder and channel all his energy, and her love for her children is ultimately her salvation. The relationship with their grandmother, Fedora, is more complex. Strict, unyielding and opinionated, Fedora disapproves of Man-Man’s father whose heritage and beliefs are different to her own. And then there is the relationship with the past- how our heritage can shape our lives. The story offer so much to consider and discuss, encouraging empathy, reflection and developing awareness.

‘There’s always more to us than meets the eye, more than what we see or touch.’

The story is brilliantly illustrated. Joelle Avelino’s bright pictures perfectly capture the energy and life of Carnival so vividly described by Yaba Badoe’s text. As the story moves to the magical, the illustrations seem to convey this energy as well with silhouetted, less-distinct figures and swirling shapes, echoing the branches of the Tree of Memories. Children will love exploring and discussing these as much as the story itself!

Many layered, evocative and poignant, ‘Man-Man and the Tree of Memories’ is a wonderful read, offering much if used as a guided reading or class text. It is a unique story to be enjoyed again and again.

Man-Man and the Tree of Memories

Yaba Badoe, illustrated by Joelle Avelino

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1837930074

Many thanks to the team at Zephyr for asking me to take part. Find out what everyone else thinks by following the rest of the reviews in the tour!

You can read my review of ‘A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars’ here.

Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape

Bridget Baxter lives at the Orphanage for Errant Childs, an institution run by the evil Miss Acrid, who does everything she can to make Bridget’s life a misery. Although Bridget is more than a match for her, she is delighted when the village baker, Mr Vanderpuff arrives at the orphanage, looking for a child to care for. Although she is talented at many things, Bridget discovers that she is a terrible baker; however, perhaps her unique baking style is just what’s needed to save the day!

I was lucky enough to hear Martin Stewart talk about ‘Bridget Vanderpuff’ at the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ Conference last month. His lovely sense of humour and obvious love of cake made for a very enjoyable session and ‘Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape’ quickly made its way to the top of my TBR pile!

Unique and quirky, Bridget is a heroine like no other! From her thick orange hair full of useful tools to her paraskirt, she is bright and brave, smart and sassy. As she outwits the ghastly Miss Acrid, whose deep hatred of irregular plurals is responsible for the unusual name of the Orphanage, with her crazy inventions, the reader cannot help but cheer her on! Miss Acrid is the most detestable villain with no redeeming features who locks her charges in the dungeons, puts their legs in bear traps and generally seeks to make their lives as miserable as possible, but is no match for the wonderful Bridget!

A series of foot notes, which ‘clarify’ and expand upon elements of the text, add much to the humour of the tale which bounces along at a pleasing pace. Although I have only read a proof copy, a selection of David Habben’s wonderful line drawings are included, giving life to Bridget, her friends and foe!

A splash of silliness mixed with a heap of fun, ‘Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape’ is a brilliant read and I look forward to her next adventure, ‘Bridget Vanderpuff and the Ghost Train’!

Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape

Martin Stewart, illustrated by David Habben

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1804549094

Out in June!

Blog Tour: Rider of the Storm

I have always adored historical fiction. It allows readers to explore the past, sparking interest in different periods, encouraging them to make connections between the past and the present. It opens the reader to reflection and can offer new perspectives. It allows them to ‘be’ there as stories unfold and to witness the action and adventure as the author brings to life the events experienced by everyday people as well as key historical figures. Well written historical fiction should inspire the reader to find out more about the period, igniting their curiosity. And the ‘Circus Maximus’ series does all of the above! Today, I delighted to be taking part in the Blog Tour for ‘Rider of the Storm’, the third book about Dido and her adventures.

‘Rider of the Storm’ continues Dido’s story which started in ‘Race to the Death’ and ‘Rivals on the Track’. About a year has passed since her last adventure and Dido is now back home, training horses with Scorpus and Parmenion. However, word arrives from Rome that her cousin, Abibaal, has left the Blues, the chariot team he was racing with at the Circus Maximus, to race for the Greens- for the Emperor Caligula. In an attempt to save Abibaal, Dido must return to Rome where she finds herself facing old enemies and new challenges in her most dangerous adventure yet.

There is so much to recommend this story. Full of action and excitement, the plot gallops along at a pleasing pace towards a very satisfying conclusion. The racing scenes are completely compelling, combining historical detail with rich descriptions. For example, Caligula’s building of a circus on his mother’s property, described in the story, is based in fact and an author’s note at the end of the book and an annotated diagram of a charioteer and his team at the front support the reader’s understanding.

Characterisation is a huge strength of this series- both human and horses! At the outset, Dido is struggling with her longing to return to the Circus Maximus and her desire to race and her fear of being discovered and endangering those she loves. She is loyal and kind, fiercely courageous and determined to do what she thinks is the right thing, no matter what the cost. Her devotion to, and understanding of, the horses, is superbly handled. Caligula is also well developed- his cruelty and capricious nature are well documented; however, Annelise Gray offers a nuanced portrayal, hinting at how his upbringing might have had an impact on his behaviour (although not seeking to excuse it). His manipulation of Abibaal plays on that young man’s desire to earn praise from his father by deepening the rift between them. There are many characters worthy of comment- but the best thing is for everyone to read the story and ‘meet’ each one for themselves!

Although this is a series - and each book is worth reading- it would be possible to read this without having read the two previous stories as the writing skilfully builds the picture of past events, filling in necessary details where appropriate. This really is historical fiction at its best- superb for a class reader to bring to life a topic on the Romans, excellent for a guided reading text to help develop understanding and make connections or as an exciting independent read!

Circus Maximus: Rider of the Storm Annelise Gray

Zephyr ISBN: 978-1803281063

Make sure you follow on the rest of the Blog Tour to find out more about this wonderful series! Many thanks to Annelise and the team at Zephyr for asking me to take part.

Wolfbane

When I first read ‘Wolf Brother’, it had just been published and I was lucky enough to find a signed, hardback copy on a table at my local Waterstones. Instantly captivated, I knew then that I had found a treasure to share both with my own son and with the children I teach. Twenty odd years later, it is still a book I reach for when I want to inspire a class and it is still works its magic every time!

I was absolutely thrilled when I heard Michelle Paver speak at Hay a couple of years ago and she explained that she was writing another three books about Wolf, Torak and Renn. The first two of these, ‘Viper’s Daughter’ and ‘Skin Taker’ lived up to my every expectation, transporting me back to Torak’s world as if I had never left. The arrival of ‘Wolfbane’ filled me with equal measures of excitement about discovering what happens and sadness in the knowledge that this is their final story.

With this in mind, it is essential that nothing is given away here about the dramatic conclusion to this much-loved series. The writing is as effortlessly beautiful as ever, with vivid descriptions and compelling characters. Michelle immerses the reader in the period, drawing on her meticulous research and personal experiences to create the richly detailed world of the Stone Age.

Although this adventure could be enjoyed as a stand alone, it is best read as part of the series as all the threads gather together to the final conclusion. So much has happened to Torak and Wolf since their first meeting and their bond remains as strong as ever so when Wolf is swept far from the Forest he loves on breaking ice, Torak will do anything to follow his pack brother and save Wolf from the demon stalking him. Full of suspense and action, Torak and Renn must use all their knowledge and skill and draw on bonds of friendship and loyalty for the final confrontation. No lover of the ‘Chronicles of Ancient Darkness’ is going to want to miss this!

Wolfbane Michelle Paver

Zephyr ISBN: 978- 1789542448

Coming April 2022