Fight Back by A.M. Dassu is an important and powerful story. It should be read by adults as much as by the young people for whom it was written. In a similar vein to A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll, it reveals issues of identity, respect, community and empowerment that need to be recognised… Continue reading Fight Back by A.M. Dassu
I sat down to make a start on A Flash of Fireflies and ended up reading the entire thing. I was completely drawn in by the magic and mystery of this unique story - a completely enchanting twist on fairy tales, forests and witches. Hazel's world is turned upside-down. Sent on her own from Kuwait… Continue reading A Flash of Fireflies by Aisha Bushby
Reading The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers is like being back with old friends. Bastien, Theo, Alice and all the orphans care about each other so dearly. That kindness flows off the page and pulls the reader right into their gang. The addition of the fiery dancer Mathilde adds a new sense of feistiness… Continue reading The Unexpected Tale of the Bad Brothers by Clare Povey
Herman Needs a Home from Lucy Noguera and Brilliant Monster Books is a delightful picture book packed full of facts about hermit crabs. Herman and his sister, Hiro, are growing. That means their shells no longer fit. Hiro is lucky enough to find a new shell to move into, but not Herman. He looks everywhere… Continue reading Herman Needs a Home by Lucy Noguera & Emma Latham ~ Guest Post
Catherine Doyle is back with another heart-pounding fantasy middle grade adventure. If you loved The Storm Keeper Trilogy, then don't miss this magical tale. Sister and brother, Amy and Liam, are visiting their grandmother in Connemara on the west coast of Ireland. Far from home, friends and their usual entertainment, they only have each other… Continue reading The Lost Girl King ~ Catherine Doyle
Even when life is fun, full of friends and absolutely joyful, we can still have mixed-emotions - the feeling of being Happy Sad. Toby learns about this feeling when he meets a stranded mermaid in a rock pool near his home by the sea. He takes her to his house and looks after her the… Continue reading Happy Sad by Pippa Goodhart & Augusta Kirkwood ~ Blog Tour
Get lost in a forest of intense imagery, incredible creatures and an intriguing mystery that will leave readers searching for clues at every turn. There is no time to catch your breath in this galloping story of one girl's quest to find answers about herself, her family, an abandoned research centre and the strange boy… Continue reading Zo and the Forest of Secrets by Alake Pilgrim ~ Blog Tour
This half-term, Charlie was invited to take part in the English Scholars Programme at school. She and her partner were tasked with answering this question - ‘Futuristic and Dystopian literature is always bleak in its outlook.’ How far do you agree? Charlie chose to take on the more hopeful side of dystopian literature while her… Continue reading ‘Futuristic and Dystopian literature is always bleak in its outlook.’ How far do you agree? ~ Charlie, Year 9
In the year 2030, world leaders pledged a coordinated and unprecedented response to the Climate Crisis. There are strict Global Climate Laws. Low impact living is no longer optional - it has to be compulsory if the world has any chance of recovery. Large areas of the Earth have been made into designated World Wilderness… Continue reading Beyond the Frozen Horizon by Nicola Penfold
The natural world has a magic all its own. Even though we know so much about how plants grow, reproduce and fill our world, it is still inexplicably wondrous to be surrounded by something so alive - the damp shadows of the forest, the new shoots of a seed, the medicinal powers not created by… Continue reading The Magic of Nature in Middle Grade
Scope for Imagination 