Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Becoming Grace by Hilary McKay

Grace Darling has always been a heroine in our house. At the age of three, my daughter was completely enthralled by a boat trip out to the Farne Islands while on holiday in Northumbria. She loved the lighthouse, the puffins and the story of Grace Darling's bravery as she helped her father rescue nine people… Continue reading Becoming Grace by Hilary McKay

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Gargoyles: The Watcher (Book 2) by Tamsin Mori

A thrilling story of friendship, loyalty and inner strength, The Watcher is the second book in the outstanding Gargoyles series by Tamsin Mori. Book one, Guardians of the Source, was one of my favourite books of 2024. The Watcher picks up where Guardians of the Source left off. The evil ghasts have been defeated and… Continue reading Gargoyles: The Watcher (Book 2) by Tamsin Mori

Blog Tour, Book Review, Guest Post, Middle Grade Fiction

I Don’t Do Mountains by Barbara Henderson ~ Blog Tour Author Q & A

I'm thrilled to welcome author Barabara Henderson to Scope for Imagination with a Q&A about her thrilling new outdoor adventure, I Don't Do Mountains! About the story: Adventures are good things for people in books. But I am not a person in a book. I am Kenzie. I like to READ about adventures, not actually… Continue reading I Don’t Do Mountains by Barbara Henderson ~ Blog Tour Author Q & A

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Clem Fatale has been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki Morris

Fast-paced, witty, and utterly captivating, Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed is a standout new middle-grade mystery with a unique setting and overflowing with charm. A clever twist on the "femme fatale" archetype, Clem is smart and tough. It's 1951 and she's London's youngest crook. With a notorious jewel thief for a father, she’s an expert… Continue reading Clem Fatale has been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki Morris

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction, Teen

Serial Chillers: The Witch in the Woods by Jennifer Killick

The first book in the new Teen Horror series Serial Chillers is everything you could hope for and more! Witty, dark and downright horrifying, Jennifer Killick has raised her game. The Witch in the Woods is next-level creepy and will have you avoiding any local woods for the foreseeable future. I settled right into the… Continue reading Serial Chillers: The Witch in the Woods by Jennifer Killick

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

How to Train Your Dragon School: Doom of the Darkwing by Cressida Cowell

May 2025 How to Train Your Dragon School: Doom of the Darkwing is the first in a new series of How to Train Your Dragon stories. Introduced as a set of shorter adventures discovered on a beach amongst papers belonging to Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, this delightfully funny and hugely engaging book is perfect… Continue reading How to Train Your Dragon School: Doom of the Darkwing by Cressida Cowell

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson

May 2025 Shrapnel Boys is Jenny Pearson's first historical novel. Led by authentic characters with her trademark spark, this is a funny, heartwarming story with an additional layer of dilemma and emotional depth. It will challenge readers to think about everyone's role in the Second World War and how it affected ordinary people in extraordinary… Continue reading Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Dawn of Adonis by Phil Earle

The Dawn of Adonis is the prequel to one of the most incredible children's books of the past five years - When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle. Readers are transported to the East End of London in 1911 when a baby gorilla is secreted through the docks in an attempt to save its life… Continue reading The Dawn of Adonis by Phil Earle

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Ella Jones vs the Sun Stealer by Lucy Edwards

Ella Jones shows readers anyone can be a hero. Although, at first, she appears to be an ordinary preteen girl who loves lipgloss, fashion and time with her dog, she is so much more. Brave, resilient and incredibly intelligent, she takes charge of a complicated quest across London. Using all her skills, she shows everyone… Continue reading Ella Jones vs the Sun Stealer by Lucy Edwards

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Marvellous Middle Grade Mysteries

What could be more perfect for a chilly half-term holiday than a spine-tingling, brain-teasing mystery? Cuddle up with one of these gripping middle grade who-dunnits! School for Fireflies by Erica Gomez (Knights Of) A magical school for extraordinary children, a long-lost diary, a family secret and a decades-old mystery: School for Fireflies has all the… Continue reading Marvellous Middle Grade Mysteries