Children Book Reviews

Name: Ellen King
25 September 2017;

Genre: Adventure

The Secret Diary series from Nosy Crow delves into specific periods in history to show what life would have been like at the time for young people honing their crafts and skills, whether as a young page learning to be a knight in The Secret Diary of John Drawbridge: Medieval Knight in Training, o...

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Name: Susan Wilsher
19 September 2017;

Genre: Fantasy

Once there was a boy who had been brought up as a Wizard, believing that all Warriors are bad. However, Xar (the wizard) had no magic - and would do anything to get some.Once there was a girl who was a warrior - people who believed that ALL magic was bad and should be destroyed. Ho...

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Name: Stephen Leitch
13 September 2017;

Genre: Adventure

More magic and mayhem in this second instalment of Class Six from Sally Prue. After a failed attempt to hide their magic from the snooping Mrs Knowall (would be new Chair of the school governors with super sensitive nostrils), and their teacher Miss Broom swept away back to training college, clas...

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Name: Nikki Stiles
11 September 2017;

Genre: Adventure

This colourful story quickly became an absolute favourite in our house! Requested over and over again by my three and six-year-old daughters. The superb illustrations giving them both so much to see and find. Bob has the best job! Bob is the man on the moon, keeping the moon in ship shape and en...

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Name: Alison Kelly
11 September 2017;

Genre: Poetry

This powerful collection of poems was published before the catastrophic Grenfell Tower fire and my first reaction to the title and front cover of this book was dismay at the untimely depiction of a black tower block with its illuminated windows. Kate Milner is a talented illustrator but the image...

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Name: Clare Wilkins
05 September 2017;

Genre: Adventure

Stewart Foster's follow-up to his poignant children's debut, The Bubble Boy is another powerful and emotional read. It focuses on bullying, friendship and family and cleverly uses a dual narrative to give the perspective of the bully and the victim. Alex has OCD and spends his life endlessly co...

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Name: Jacqueline Harris
02 September 2017;

Genre: Adventure

These books, written for around seven years, are such fun even adults will find themselves chuckling at the jokes and the word play. Written in the form of a diary, these books chart the adventures and misadventures of Pirate Blunderbeard and his pirate family. Blunderbeard is the youngest of tw...

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Name: Melanie Chadwick
01 September 2017;

Genre: Friends and family

Pax is the story of how a boy and his abandoned fox reunite against all the odds. Despite his father, a 300 mile trek, a broken leg and a war zone, Peter proceeds with unwavering determination to find his fox, Pax. He is reluctantly helped by Vola, who has been damaged by her...

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Name: Beccy Judge
31 August 2017;

Genre: Adventure

Simply the Quest is Maz Evans's second book in her marvellous middle grade series and follows the success of last year's Who Let the Gods Out. As before, Maz Evans writes with bags of charisma and knows how to engage her readers. 12-year-old Elliott is back at home living with several Greek Go...

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Name: Jacqueline Harris
30 August 2017;

Genre: Adventure

Most kids and many adults find optical illusions fascinating. There are many books available on the subject but this one is a bit special. Firstly, there is the amazing front cover, complete with moving images and striking effects. Secondly this book really explains how the illusions work and wh...

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