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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The first two Bletchley Park Mysteries have been some of my favourite books in recent years. Full of action, mystery and dedication to what is right, they follow a group of children based at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. Uncertain of what their futures hold, they do all they can to support the… Continue reading Wink, Murder: A Bletchley Park Mystery by Rhian Tracey
It has been wonderful to read and review the three books in the Toby Bean series over the past four years. Sally Doherty has created a young hero who is funny, brave and incredibly caring. Looking after his mum who is chronically ill, he shows resilience in the face of so many challenges yet still… Continue reading Toby and the Siege of Sky City by Sally Doherty
Swop is back in his second epic adventure! This absolutely adorable, teeny tiny pup will leap into your heart as he helps his owner Ernie solve a huge mystery! Ernie is really looking forward to his school trip to the Natural History Museum. It was always his favourite place to visit with his dad before… Continue reading Swop: The Daring Dinosaur Detective by Lucy Noguera & illustrated by James Cottell
Scope for Imagination 