Schools & Libraries Book Reviews

Name: Alison Kelly
09 May 2021;

Genre: Poetry

Three gifted children's poets have contributed to Being Me, Poems about Thoughts, Worries and Feelings, an important collection of poems that directly address children's mental health and well-being.  As Kay Tew says in the preface to the teaching resource that accompanies the...

More

Name: Nathan Cox
07 May 2021;

Genre: Funny Stories

Something I Said is a joke-filled story from beginning to end. Carmichael Taylor, Car, is a 13-year-old boy with hidden comic skills and sarcasm. His perception of the world is one big joke but often people don't find things as funny as he does - 'If life is a joke, make it a...

More

Name: Beverley Somerset
07 May 2021;

Genre: Mystery & Detective

Pete, Krish and Nancy are off on a school trip to Heathland Camp, where they are expecting to have a great time. There are derelict Ministry of Defence buildings nearby which they have been told are out of bounds, but Pete decides that they must go and investigate them. They discover that the...

More

Name: Hayley Summerfield
06 May 2021;

Genre: Science Fiction

The Infinite is the debut novel by Patience Agbabi, a thrilling and original time-travelling adventure that starts in the Year 2020. This compelling story is focused around 'The Gift' bestowed upon Leaplings - children born on the 29th February who have the ability to travel b...

More

Name: Hayley Summerfield
06 May 2021;

Genre: Science Fiction

The Time-Thief is the second book from the Leap Cycle series (see The Infinite) by the fantastic author Patience Agbabi. This thrilling adventure story returns us to the lives of Elle and Big Ben - Leaplings with 'T...

More

Name: Jacqueline Harris
06 May 2021;

Genre: Fairy Tales & Folk Tales

Lonny lives in the forest, away from the town of Farstoke. He lives with his little brother Midge, his father and grandfather and is home-schooled. The reason is because he is a lifeling; someone who can literally give life to others, to animals or people. The cost of this, however, is at the...

More

Name: Jacqueline Harris
06 May 2021;

Genre: Representation & Inclusion

Silas is bullied at school because he cannot get the words out properly. One day, on his way home, he meets a wolf. The wolf is injured and Silas helps it. Shortly afterwards, he encounters a gang of foxes and discovers the hidden world of the forest.  He discovers that the wolves are the last...

More

Name: Jane Rew
06 May 2021;

Genre: Fantasy

I enjoyed the humour and imagined conversations between Yared (the main male character) and The Iris (his female rival and soon-to-be friend). I also enjoyed the surprises round every corner, the characters being almost as multi-dimensional as the setting, with its HKO (Hunt for Kaleb's Obelis...

More

Name: Jane Rew
05 May 2021;

Genre: Friends and family

37 thousand 'Miacorns' have liked Mia's recent YouTube posts about Mia's Life: Fan Takeover release. It is aimed at tweens (not all of them girls) who like to hear one of their peers talking about things which feature highly on their radar: fashion, puberty, the opposite sex,...

More

Name: Kelly Buxton
01 May 2021;

Genre: Environment & Nature

Reminiscent of The Borrowers, this immersive read about the Hidden Folk living in plain sight all around us is brilliant. Each chapter has an epigraph at the beginning, bringing this nature-filled adventure to life. Cumulus, the oldest of the trio, wakes one morning to find he has start...

More