Packed full of adventure, magic and danger, the Dragon Rider series is just right for middle grade fantasy lovers who want to be carried away on quests to amazing places with the most unlikely friends. These epic adventures are perfect for fans of the Dragon Mountain series or those who are ready to move on… Continue reading Dragon Rider series by Cornelia Funke
This could be the best or the worst Christmas ever! It can be tough to be a kid – a cheeky word here, a bad decision there and all of a sudden, you’re in trouble. It’s even worse if when it’s Christmas and the risk of landing on Santa’s Naughty List influences every action. Aisling… Continue reading The Santa List by Kieran Crowley
Time School: We Will Stand with Them is the third book in the brilliant time-slip series by Nikki Young. Each story centres around a different period in history set against the backdrop of Hickley, a Yorkshire mill town. Four friends – Nadia, Jess, Tomma & Ash – each discover a connection to their past that… Continue reading Time School: We Will Stand with Them by Nikki Young
The Song That Sings Us is a powerful novel encouraging empathy for the Earth and challenging readers to take up the fight of protecting our world from the damage of greed and power. When their rebel mother dies in an attack on their mountain home, Harlon and twins, Ash & Xeno, are left to pick… Continue reading The Song That Sings Us by Nicola Davies
Portico Reeves is the greatest superhero you’ve never heard of! His secret power – making sure all the other heroes in his life stay super and safe. No matter what, he has to protect his secret identity so no one discovers he is Stuntboy. This empathy-building illustrated novel is perfect for readers age 8+. The… Continue reading Stuntboy: In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds & Raul the Third
Love is the food that nurtures them… When a winged creature is blown into Cassie’s room during a storm, her life changes forever. Village folklore and rumours of the past manifest themselves in this unusual being. What is it? Why has it come? Who does it want? The mysteries of this powerful story are carefully… Continue reading Fledgling by Lucy Hope
Publishing: January 2022 After reading an extract from When the War Came Home and being carried away to South Wales in the time following the First World War, I was thrilled to be able to read the whole story. Absolutely unputdownable, I spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with Natty, Nerys, Johnny and Huw. When… Continue reading When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr
The thing with dragons was that no one expected to find one. Pip loves spending time in the magic and peace of the creek. It’s much better than the tense atmosphere at home where her mum’s partner, Matt, is angry, threatening and controlling most of the time. Pip loves her mum and wants nothing more… Continue reading Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee
Jenny Pearson is the queen of comedy writing that bursts with empathy and a whole lot of heart! Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List highlights the value of cross-generational relationships and how rewarding it is to look after someone else. Hilarious and touching, this is a book to smile through. With a dying grandmother’s last… Continue reading Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List by Jenny Pearson
This book comes just in time for my twins’ exploration of Gothic Literature in their Year 7 English lessons. Our house has been full of discussions about monsters and darkness, melancholy and death. Following Frankenstein gives a whole new perspective on a classic story. Maggie has always known the tale of the desperate creator and… Continue reading Following Frankenstein by Catherine Bruton
Scope for Imagination 