Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Bravest Word by Kate Foster

I've had the privilege of reading an Australian edition of The Bravest Word by Kate Foster. It is one of the most powerful, honest books I have ever read. Addressing mental health, anxiety and depression in young people through the beautiful story of a boy and his dog, it helps children to recognise symptoms in… Continue reading The Bravest Word by Kate Foster

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Magic Hour by David Wolstencroft

June 2023 Time flies. Time stands still. We take it for granted. We never have enough. The Magic Hour explores the elusiveness of time. "We all get the same amount of moments. It's only how we spend them that matters." What if there was an extra hour every day? A 25 hour day would mean… Continue reading The Magic Hour by David Wolstencroft

Middle Grade Fiction

I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey

It's September 1939 and war has been declared with Germany. Robyn lives at Bletchley Park where her father is a chaffeur and looks after the garages. When war starts, everything changes. The grown-ups have so many secrets and with the arrival of the armed forces, it's more like a prison than a home. Robyn's freedom… Continue reading I, Spy: A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire! by Sarah Todd Taylor

If you love adventure, mystery, code-breaking, spies - and lots of cake - then Alice Éclair Spy Extraordinaire is just who you need! Parisian baker and trainee spy, Alice, is savvy enough to stop even the most dangerous criminal. Whether it's on an exisquite French train or a luxurious boat on the Seine, she is… Continue reading Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire! by Sarah Todd Taylor

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Time Tider by Sinéad O’Hart ~ Blog Tour

The Time Tider by Sinéad O'Hart is a completely unique and absolutely gripping middle grade adventure. I had to limit my reading time or I would have devoured it in one sitting and not gotten anything else done! When I wasn't reading, I found my mind drifting back it, thinking about where the story would… Continue reading The Time Tider by Sinéad O’Hart ~ Blog Tour

Book Review, Chapter Book, Middle Grade Fiction

Growing in Confidence: Brilliant Books for Lower Key Stage Two

Readers in Years 3 & 4 come in all shapes, sizes and reading abilities. Some are confident readers, well on their way to lengthy middle grade novels, while others are still getting to grips with phonics and taking their first steps into chapter books. Fortunately for teachers and parents, there are so many wonderful books… Continue reading Growing in Confidence: Brilliant Books for Lower Key Stage Two

Blog Tour, Book Review, Chapter Book, Middle Grade Fiction

The Dream Hoarder by David Oates ~ Blog Tour

Eva and Toby are back in a second imaginative and highly engaging adventure from David Oates. Following on from The Imagination Thief, The Dream Hoarder takes readers back into an amazing world of imaginary friends, fairy knights, wizards, dragons and the incredible Astrodog! A dark shape has been haunting Eva's dreams. It can't be the… Continue reading The Dream Hoarder by David Oates ~ Blog Tour

Blog Tour, Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Vita and the Gladiator by Ally Sherrick ~ Blog Tour

History and adventure come together beautifully in Ally Sherrick's Vita and the Gladiator. This thoughtful, action-packed story would be a wonderful addition to any Upper Key Stage Two study of the Romans in Britain. If read aloud towards the end of the topic, children would be sure to make valuable connections between the fantastically detailed… Continue reading Vita and the Gladiator by Ally Sherrick ~ Blog Tour