Tag Archives: book review

Dancer’s Luck by Lorna Hill My rating: 3 of 5 stars The second of one of Lorna Hill’s ‘other’ series, Dancer’s Luck is a fascinating read to somebody very much entrenched in the Well books. You’ll have to forgive me if I make any faux pas about this series as Dancer’s Luck is my introductionContinue reading “Dancer’s Luck : Lorna Hill”

Cowgirl by Giancarlo Gemin My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is such a weirdly entrancing and lovely book. I mean, genuinely so. Gemma on the Mawr Estate meets Cowgirl. Cowgirl is the school outcast; tall, angry, and best mates with the cows on her father’s farm. Cowgirl and Gemma are thrown into an odd,Continue reading “Cowgirl : GR Gemin”

The Everest Files by Matt Dickinson My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really like what Matt Dickinson does. I think he’s in the process of carving out a sort of modern Hardy Boys / Biggles esque niche; a sort of very ‘boys own’ adventure style reinterpreted for the modern era. I had a lotContinue reading “The Everest Files : Matt Dickinson”

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell My rating: 5 of 5 stars Found floating in a cello case in the English Channel after a shipwreck, Sophie is adopted by Charles; a beautiful, good, eccentric and lovely character. Together the two of them live their oddly lovely life, acceptable to them but unacceptable to the authorities who eventuallyContinue reading “Rooftoppers : Katherine Rundell”

The Child’s Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnston My rating: 4 of 5 stars There’s a couple of things I need to acknowledge about my reading of The Child’s Elephant and it’s those that influence my rating and feelings around the book. This is a glorious big book, but it’s also resolutely a book of two halvesContinue reading “The Child’s Elephant : Rachel Campbell-Johnston”

Party Shoes by Noel Streatfeild My rating: 4 of 5 stars There is something rather lovely about Streatfeild’s England. Every village has a family full of a thousand siblings. There are sensible and yet approachable adult folk. There is always a girl who is earnestly in love with ballet who ends up being recruited toContinue reading “Party Shoes (Party Frock) : Noel Streatfeild”

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor My rating: 4 of 5 stars A Daughter of Smoke & Bone is spectacularly not within my frame of reference, and yet, there is something so beguiling about its grace and artful, painterly writing, that it is one to read regardless of genre, regardless of feelings aboutContinue reading “A Daughter of Smoke and Bone : Laini Taylor”

Every Day by David Levithan My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have heard a lot about this book. It is a beautifully elegant hook. A. wakes up in a different body every day. A. is sixteen always, but his ‘host’ may be fat, thin, short, tall, black, white – anyone really. And every day,Continue reading “Every Day : David Levithan”

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell My rating: 5 of 5 stars Oh this book. Every lunchtime this week, I have sat and hugged it to myself and wanted those lunchtimes to never end. Rainbow Rowell is beautiful here, Fangirl is beyond gorgeous and you should very much buy this book. I have not been this evangelicalContinue reading “Fangirl : Rainbow Rowell”

I was excited to receive some items from Priddy Books recently; several titles from their new range – the Little Friends books. I like Priddy Books. I’ve featured their books before, as I like what they do and I like their production values. They are quality, solid books and these are no exception. They are, ifContinue reading “Little Friends books – Priddy Books”

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith My rating: 5 of 5 stars There are certain books which form the bedrock of British children’s literature. Tom’s Midnight Garden is one, Carrie’s War is another and I Capture The Castle is a third. Written by the great Dodie Smith (perhaps more well known for her booksContinue reading “I Capture The Castle : Dodie Smith”

Saving Daisy by Phil Earle My rating: 4 of 5 stars Daisy is trying to hold onto the life she has, but each and every day sees her losing her grip on it just a little bit. And when the worst of things happen, when tragedy strikes, she has to decide whether she sinks orContinue reading “Saving Daisy : Phil Earle”

Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz My rating: 4 of 5 stars Horowitz’s genre-defining (genre-creating?) stories of teenage spy Alex Rider were always going to end. Alex would grow up. Alex would die. Life would take him from this odd, mad role he’d fallen into as one of Britain’s youngest spies. A child, really, pulled intoContinue reading “Scorpia Rising : Anthony Horowitz”

Model Misfit by Holly Smale My rating: 4 of 5 stars I keep going back to my review of Smale’s debut novel, the first in the Geek Girl series, and wondering about what I wrote. I think, in a way, and in light of what I’ve just read, I need to explain it a littleContinue reading “Model Misfit : Holly Smale”

Foxy: Rivalry at Summer Camp by Belinda Rapley My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’d heard about Rapley’s Pony Detective series on the grapevine and marked it down as one to watch. It’s a series of books, for sort of seven / eight year olds and upwards, set around a group of pony-obsessed friends whoContinue reading “Foxy – Rivalry at Summer Camp : Belinda Rapley”

Black Beauty’s Family by Josephine Pullein-Thompson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Black Beauty’s Family is a compilaton of stories written by the estimable Pullein-Thompson sisters. They’re all spin-offs from Black Beauty, and feature the life stories of other horses in his family tree. Each story centres on one horse from the start through toContinue reading “Black Beauty’s Family : Christine, Diana, Josephine Pullein-Thompson”

Alphaprints: ABC by Roger Priddy My rating: 4 of 5 stars ABC books are hard, complicated beasts. It’s about pitch, I think, and it’s a vicious hard thing to get right is this concept of pitch. Children will form and shape their letters at different ages, in different ways, and have different ideas of whatContinue reading “Alphaprints: ABC”

Kentucky Thriller by Lauren St. John My rating: 5 of 5 stars So before we do this, I think you need to have a look at my review of the preceding titles in this series. Here’s what I thought of Dead Man’s Cover and here’s what I thought of Kidnap in the Carribean. Suffice toContinue reading “Kentucky Thriller : Lauren St John”

May Contain Nuts. by Jonathan Meres by Jonathan Meres My rating: 4 of 5 stars There are moments when you finish a book and you know instantly who it’s for. This one, the first in The World of Norm series by Jonathan Meres, is for my nephews. I love my nephews. I love how IContinue reading “The World of Norm : May Contain Nuts – Jonathan Meres”

Blackout by Sam Mills My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have a lot of difficulty with dystopian books, which is why you’ll find I review them very rarely. At their worst for me, they tend to slide into one, a sort of malleable ‘future’s bad but X can sort it out’ plot which barelyContinue reading “Blackout : Sam Mills”

Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have been in a bit of a slump with reading at the moment, reading books that have left me wanting, and reading books with a tight, tense, uncharitable air. This has not been productive; rather so, it has left me hungry forContinue reading “Linnets and Valerians : Elizabeth Goudge”

Hubble Bubble: The Glorious Granny Bake Off by Tracey Corderoy My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a charming and quite lovely collection of short stories by Corderoy, and illustrated by Joe Berger. Each story is about 40 pages, thickly illustrated, and with short chapters which sing to be read aloud at a storytimeContinue reading “Hubble Bubble : The Glorious Granny Bake Off : Tracey Corderoy & Joe Berger”

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild My rating: 5 of 5 stars This book and I, we’ve known each other for a long long time. It is one of those books that has been in my life for forever, really, I can’t quite remember a time without it. Without Noel Streatfeild, without the Fossils and withoutContinue reading “Ballet Shoes : Noel Streatfeild”

The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr My rating: 5 of 5 stars Kerr was the first author to genuinely, utterly terrify me. There are moments in When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit that brought home the impact of war to me like no other. She is rich and warm with her writing andContinue reading “The Tiger Who Came To Tea : Judith Kerr”

Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick My rating: 4 of 5 stars Segwick is such a writer. Such a writer. I have always struggled with the bald facts of history and the way that whilst precision and figures are all very good, somehow all I want to see – all I need to seeContinue reading “Blood Red, Snow White : Marcus Sedgwick”

Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper My rating: 4 of 5 stars And so, my headlong, occasionally giddy, somewhat breathless rampage through The Dark is Rising sequence ends; and it ends here, with this book of almost breathless bigness and Breugel/Dali/Escher-esque overtones. It is a heck of a series this, huge and madly inventiveContinue reading “Silver on The Tree : Susan Cooper”

The Grey King by Susan Cooper My rating: 3 of 5 stars It is interesting to me that the first book to halt me in my headlong and gleeful devouring of the series was this book set in Wales, the fourth book in the series, set in the thin grey rain of Snowdonia. It isContinue reading “The Grey King : Susan Cooper”

Greenwitch by Susan Cooper My rating: 4 of 5 stars Greenwitch is part of my first ever read of the entire The Dark Is Rising, and my slight “a series, a series, oh how I love a series” attitude, meant that I came to it hungrily and devoured it swiftly. I am pleased that IContinue reading “Greenwitch : Susan Cooper”

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper My rating: 4 of 5 stars So I am working my way through the Dark Is Rising sequence at present, and now is the turn of The Dark Is Rising itself. I am struck, struck, struck by the ferocious nature of Cooper’s prose throughout these books; a proseContinue reading “The Dark is Rising : Susan Cooper”

This is a particularly pertinent book to read for me at the moment, what with me attending the Birmingham Festival of Children’s Literature in November where Chichester Clark and Morpurgo will be discussing their latest collaboration: Pinocchio. And listening to them talk is a very, very exciting prospect for me. Morpurgo is one of thoseContinue reading “Hansel and Gretel : Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester Clark”

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper My rating: 4 of 5 stars As the Cornwall part of my #readyourwayaroundtheUK challenge, I decided to read my first ever Susan Cooper. I know, I know, it’s not before time, right? Cooper is one of those writers who has always been present in my children’s literature consciousnessContinue reading “Over Sea, Under Stone : Susan Cooper”

How the Heather Looks: A Joyous Journey to the British Sources of Children’s Books by Joan Bodger My rating: 4 of 5 stars Poorly written in places, intensely poignant in places, How the Heather Looks is a strange book which, in a way, taught me more about my attitude towards children’s literature rather than teachingContinue reading “How the Heather Looks – a joyous journey to the British sources of Children’s Books : Joan Bodger”

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey by Mary Hooper My rating: 3 of 5 stars I love Mary Hooper. It remains a fact that I will automatically read any of her new work because it is fairly guaranteed to be good. If it’s historical, you know you get a well told story in believable circumstances, andContinue reading “The Disgrace of Kitty Grey: Mary Hooper”

Room by Emma Donoghue My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’ve ummed and ahhed about reviewing this for what is a blog focused on children’s literature, and yet, I think the language and the accessibility of the text will (and has) leads to a definite young adult readership. And thus: a review, albeit with someContinue reading “Room : Emma Donoghue”

Me Myself Milly by Penelope Bush My rating: 4 of 5 stars I liked this. I didn’t want to, at first, but I did. It’s a slim, articulate book that is the story of Milly. And, very simply, it’s the story of Milly trying to find out who she is. She’s spent her life asContinue reading “Me Myself Milly : Penelope Bush”

The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit My rating: 4 of 5 stars Seeing that The Story Of The Treasure Seekers was being republished by Hesperus Press made me very happy indeed. They’ve produced a beautiful copy, one that is almost edible with its quality and production values. You can see a largerContinue reading “The Story Of The Treasure Seekers : E Nesbit”

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran My rating: 2 of 5 stars It may seem an odd choice to review for this blog and I have, to be frank, ummed and aahed about actually doing so. But then I thought again about the range of accessible feminist literature for this age range and realisedContinue reading “How to be a Woman : Caitlin Moran”

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers My rating: 3 of 5 stars One day, The Author is greeted by Karl. Karl’s been set a problem by his girlfriend, Fiorella, who wants him to write about himself. The issue is that Karl’s dyslexic. Unable, unwilling and lacking in confidence to even know how to begin,Continue reading “Dying to know you : Aidan Chambers”

I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter My rating: 4 of 5 stars In a way ever since Meg Cabot finished her Princess Diary books, I’ve been searching for a series to fill the Mia shaped hole in my life. And I think Cammie and herContinue reading “I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You : Ally Carter”

Back Home by Michelle Magorian My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have a lot of love for Michelle Magorian, one of the great dames of British children’s literature. I’ve spoken about Back Home before, briefly, in a list of books featuring Dartington Hall, the place where I went to University. It was, however, aContinue reading “Back Home : Michelle Magorian”

VIII by H.M. Castor My rating: 5 of 5 stars Sometimes it’s fun to go in a bit blind to a book, to pick it up solely because you’ve heard it mentioned by somebody, or you’ve read something about it, but can’t quite remember what it was and where you saw it. Sometimes that blindness,Continue reading “VIII : HM Castor”

Modelland by Tyra Banks My rating: 1 of 5 stars Huh. So. That happened. Modelland is possibly the purest distallation of literary crazy I have ever read. In a way it’s unrateable and unreviewable; a thick, clashing melee of genres and tones and words that once were English but now I’m not so sure. ButContinue reading “Modelland : Tyra Banks”

The Railway Children by E. Nesbit My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’m on a bit of a classics kick recently. And as mentioned in my review of For Love Of A Horse, these aren’t the Oliver Twist sort of classics. These are classics that have framed my childhood – and my adulthood – andContinue reading “The Railway Children : E Nesbit”

For Love of a Horse by Patricia Leitch My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been in the mood for some classics recently. And not your Oliver Twist type of classics. These are my classics, my stories that built me, that made me who I am today and they are, I hope, stories that mayContinue reading “For Love Of A Horse : Patricia Leitch”

Peppermint Kiss by Kelly McKain My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’ve been a little bit disappointed in the world of books for the tween-teen girl recently. I think it’s partially due to the fact that several of them (none of the worst ones have been reviewed btw) have just felt so … cheap. Like writingContinue reading “Rainbow Beauty – Peppermint Kiss : Kelly McKain”

Red Ink by Julie Mayhew My rating: 5 of 5 stars There’s a strange sort of poetry in sadness. The poetics of grief, if you will. Think about it. When sadness, darkness, pain hits us, it hits hard. We feel it. It’s an almost physical impact, this great black nothing that swings out of nowhereContinue reading “Red Ink : Julie Mayhew”

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein My rating: 5 of 5 stars “And still the sky is beautiful.” (p26) If there’s a phrase that sums this book up for me, and perhaps Code Name Verity too (which I reviewed here) it is this phrase, this poetic and graceful phrase that sings from the page. There’sContinue reading “Rose Under Fire : Elizabeth Wein”

Fabulous Phartlehorn Affair by Megan Peel My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Fabulous Phartlehorn Affair is all about musical phartling – which is a bit phantastic. The affair involves a mysterious mountain kingdom, a fantastical musical instrument known as the ‘Phartlehorn’ and the downside to being good with your, um, downside. As Roald DahlContinue reading “The Fabulous Phartlehorn Affair : ML Peel”

Geek Girl by Holly Smale My rating: 3 of 5 stars Smale’s debut book, Geek Girl, is the story of Harriet Manners. Harriet isn’t very popular at school, and when she’s spotted by a top model scout, it seems like Harriet has a chance to reinvent herself. On this journey she encounters inappropriately hot boy-models,Continue reading “Geek Girl : Holly Smale”

The Snow Bear by Holly Webb My rating: 4 of 5 stars I’ve gone into shock from the weather. The fact that I’ve put the heating on, and had to have an extra blanket, has made me fall back several months. And it has made me seek out books of snow and Winter and ofContinue reading “The Snow Bear : Holly Webb”

Mouse Bird Snake Wolf by David Almond My rating: 5 of 5 stars So I have a little story about how I came to Mouse Bird Snake Wolf. I originally came to it via Netgalley and as I am a huge fan of David Almond, I requested it and got approved. So I downloaded aContinue reading “Mouse Bird Snake Wolf : David Almond & Dave McKean”

Pantomime by Laura Lam My rating: 4 of 5 stars We’ve come a long way, you and I. You’ve listened to me obsess over the nuances of the Chalet School, the way Clara Vulliamy is so perfect in her picture book construction and the way I get slightly evangelical when somebody tells me that Children’sContinue reading “Pantomime: Laura Lam”

A Pattern of Roses by K.M. Peyton My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have a great love for KM Peyton. She’s one of the authors that has defined my attitude towards children’s literature, to what it can and could be and to what it so very often is. And so it was with great,Continue reading “A Pattern Of Roses : KM Peyton”

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick My rating: 4 of 5 stars The darkly poetic prose that beats at the heart of Midwinterblood is something that took me quite by surprise. I’ve known of Marcus Sedgwick and I’ve known of his work for a fair while now but never quite got down to it. That’s a shame,Continue reading “Midwinterblood : Marcus Sedgwick”

Kite Spirit by Sita Brahmachari My rating: 4 of 5 stars As you may gather from this, I am a fan of Sita Brahamachari. I think Artichoke Hearts and Jasmine Skies are two of the best, most perceptive and impressive books I’ve read for a long time. She is an exciting and brilliant writer. KiteContinue reading “Kite Spirit : Sita Brahmachari”

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Weight of Water is a book written in blank verse and it is a very beautiful thing. When books are written like this, when the words are pared back, right back to the bare minimum of what they are and whatContinue reading “The Weight of Water : Sarah Crossan”

Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne My rating: 3 of 5 stars When the world turns upside down, 14 children find themselves trapped in their local superstore. Things outside are dangerous. Terrifying. Mammoth sized hail, earthquakes and – monsters. Dean, one of the children, decides to keep a diary. This is that diary. The first inContinue reading “Monument 14 : Emmy Laybourne”

Forever by Judy Blume My rating: 4 of 5 stars Have I ever told you about my love of Judy Blume? She, along with my equally beloved Paula Danziger and repeats of Mash on Sky One, form a substantial part of my introduction to Americana. That world of summer camps, of wise-cracks and heartbreak, andContinue reading “Forever : Judy Blume”

Four Children and It by Jacqueline Wilson My rating: 4 of 5 stars E Nesbit was one of those authors who wrote big, thrilling, seditious, moving books that pushed at the boundaries of what defined the genre of children’s literature of her day. And I’d argue, quite happily, that that’s pretty much what Jacqueline WilsonContinue reading “Four Children and It : Jacqueline Wilson”

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner My rating: 3 of 5 stars There’s a difficulty for me in reviewing this, and one that I hope to address through the act of reviewing. I admit that’s a fairly Moebius-esque sentence but I hope that it becomes clearer the further I go on. Gardner’s superb. Her writing hereContinue reading “Maggot Moon : Sally Gardner”

Wonder by R.J. Palacio My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’m known to my friends and family and colleagues as having a bit of an interest in children’s literature (I know, that’s a surprise right?) They come to me for reccomendations for their brownie groups, their kids – and sometimes they come to me andContinue reading “Wonder : RJ Palacio”

Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner My rating: 4 of 5 stars I came to this following the reccomendation of the excellent Ali of Fantastic Reads. Her review is here and I urge you all to go read it forthwith because it’s a perceptive, warm and precise review of this book. Now that that’s done, here’sContinue reading “Operation Bunny : Sally Gardner”

Rosanna Joins the Wells by Lorna Hill My rating: 3 of 5 stars Oh but this book is pale and wan and feels as though you could hold it up to the light and feel the paper disintegrate in your hands. And it is saddening, saddening, for Lorna Hill shines, even now, even in herContinue reading “Rosanna Joins the Wells : Lorna Hill”

The Crew by Bali Rai My rating: 4 of 5 stars There’s a lot to love about Bali Rai. He writes with a sort of sharp truth that’s bolstered, always, with a lot of heart. He may write about difficult situations but he does so with a great love and belief in his characters. TheContinue reading “The Crew : Bali Rai”

Ballet for Laura by Linda Blake My rating: 4 of 5 stars Ballet for Laura was a bit of a surprise to me, coming blind as I did to it in a charity shop over the Easter weekend. The front cover has a particularly lovely illustration, coupling a white cat with a bent over dancerContinue reading “Ballet for Laura : Linda Blake”

Troy by Adèle Geras My rating: 4 of 5 stars Troy is one of those stories that endures. Regardless of whatever spin on it, be that the intense metrosexuality of Brad Pitt’s Achilles or the beautiful lyricism of Gareth Hinds’ Odyssey, the stories of Odysseus, Hector, Achilles and Priam last and have lasted. It’s maybeContinue reading “Troy : Adele Geras”

Oh GUYS, this BOOK. This book. I have enclosed a gallery below to fully explore the WONDER. It is making me full of capital letters and happiness. Let’s just say I practically leapt over the charity shop floor to pick it up. It’s probably the nearest I’ve ever come to a jeté What we haveContinue reading “My Pets – Pop Up Pictures”