Schools & Libraries Book Reviews

Name: Katie
02 September 2024;

Genre: Fantasy

Dream Hunters is a fast-paced fantasy adventure for any child who loves their adventures with a magical edge. In this story, the magic is provided by child 'dream hunters' - children are taught to follow dreams and to catch them with their special needles, bottling them to hel...

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Name: Jenny Caddick
01 September 2024;

Genre: Supernatural

Gruesome, gothic and so, so good. This horrifyingly dark-humoured tale is hilarious and heart thumpingly entertaining and enthralling. Author Martin Howard and illustrator Pete Williamson have created a masterpiece of creepy illustrations and a narrative that tests the nerves...

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Name: Beverley Somerset
30 August 2024;

Genre: Adventure

13-year-old Iona Patterson lives with her mum and stepdad on the Kestrel estate. Mum runs a pony trekking centre from the stables, and they have a happy life there, although money is tight.  Iona loves horses, especially Jinks, her dressage horse, and when a local dressage star, Jessica, offer...

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Name: Louisa Farrow
30 August 2024;

Genre: Family & Home

Ghostlines, the latest lyrically beautiful story from Katya Balen, celebrates the wonder of the natural world, the difficulty of accepting change and the importance of human connections. Tilda has lived all her life on the island of Ayrie and she adores everything about...

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Name: Hayley Summerfield
27 August 2024;

Genre: Mystery & Detective

The Beanstalk Murder is a gripping new murder mystery in giant-sized portions! P.G Bell's new book is a magical read that will appeal to the most reluctant reader. When the town of Old Stump is squished by a falling giant from the Sky Kingdom, the folk of the Land Below...

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Name: Sue Wilsher
26 August 2024;

Genre: Family & Home

Hannah and her family are facing tough times again as their landlord is threatening them with eviction and dad has had an accident. But Hannah is determined to save the farm once again, this time by raising the money to buy it. Her family and friends rally round to support the endeavour, but h...

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Name: Sue Wilsher
26 August 2024;

Genre: Adventure

Every year, Ember yearns to fly with the golden flamebirds who pause in their flight at Bright Beacon before heading on to their home. Those known as 'flame chasers' wait in the harbour, ready to follow the birds in the hope of finding one of their wish-giving tail feathers. But when her Pa go...

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Name: Louisa Farrow
20 August 2024;

Genre: Fantasy

Dream Hunters, a colourful adventure story set in a fantasy version of India, invites young readers to imagine...  Imagine a world where dreams could be caught and bottled.  Imagine if slivers of dreams could be threaded together to make new dreams, personalis...

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Name: Louisa Farrow
20 August 2024;

Genre: Adventure

Here is a book for the many children who say that they read to escape to a place they feel calm and happy. For me, it was like drinking bottled childhood - the experience of reading it made me feel as though I was nine again. In The Secret of Golden Island</stro...

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Name: Jenny Caddick
20 August 2024;

Genre: Fantasy

Amazing Amari is back again and her third adventure, Amari and the Despicable Wonders, is utterly gripping from start to finish. Teenage magician Amari now faces adversaries, distrust and outright hatred from all sides; the new Prime Minister of the Bureau of Supernatural Inve...

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