"I thought you wanted to be scared." Phil Hickes is an absolute legend when it comes to middle grade horror. His Aveline Jones and Shadowhall Academy series have had readers on the edge of their seats but The Last Day of October is next level. Overflowing with autumn vibes, the thrill of North American Hallowe'en,… Continue reading The Last Day of October by Phil Hickes ~ Blog Tour
The Fear is an absolutely brilliant book for helping young people recognise and cope with anxiety. Kian used to love playing football but an experience with a tough coach who delighted in making his players feel small created "the fear" inside him. When this anxiety takes over, Kian is terrified of doing something wrong and… Continue reading The Fear by Tom Palmer & illustrated by Robin Boyden
Game Over! is a fantastic story for children making the move to secondary school and trying to find themselves in the crowd. Jay has just started Year 7 and thinks he goes to the worst school in the world. He doesn't enjoy PE or team games of any kind, which is tricky when all his… Continue reading Game Over by Serena Patel & illustrated by Louise Forshaw
The Puzzling Paw Prints is the second gorgeous story in Vashti Hardy's The Moonlight Mystery Agency series. Ideal for young readers age 5+, this Barrington Stoke Little Gem is full of adventure, fun and satisfying reading challenge. Agnes Saccani's delightful illustrations bring the relatable story to life. Hana, like many children, is worried about starting… Continue reading The Moonlight Mystery Agency: The Puzzling Paw Prints by Vashti Hardy & Agnes Saccani
Return to The Nighthouse Files with a second terrifying mystery. This secret organisation investigates strange events around the world. Delving into the unexplained, they search for truth in an attempt to not only find answers, but prevent the horrors from happening again. Unusual lights over Wintermoor Lake are causing young people to act in strange… Continue reading The Wintermoor Lights by Dan Smith
The Amulet of Hath is the thrilling second book in the Relic Hunters series. This is a fantastic, accessible series for readers age 9+ from the queen of STEM adventures, Vashti Hardy In the first book, The Clockwork Key, we meet Mabel and Will Greystone who are learning to search the world for ancient treasure… Continue reading The Amulet of Hath by Vashti Hardy & illustrated by Rebecca Sheerin
I loved getting lost in the world of Lindsay Galvin's The Elixir. Set in 17th century England, it explores the healing power of women who understand nature and science. Ann Storer has inherited the gift of healing from her grandmother. Working in her family's apothecary shop, she creates tinctures that help with all sorts of… Continue reading The Elixir by Lindsay Galvin
Dance of Resistance is the vividly engaging story of singer, dancer and spy Josephine Baker. Told through incredibly accessible narrative non-fiction, readers travel with Josephine from East St Louis USA to Philadelphia, New York, Paris and then across Europe and Northern Africa. Her colourful life, full of adventure and self-made opportunity, is completely inspiring while… Continue reading Dance of Resistance by Catherine Johnson: The Josephine Baker Story
Barrington Stoke can always be relied on to create entertaining, meaningful, empathy-filled stories that are accessible and empowering for readers. With dyslexia-friendly font, spacing and page tint, everyone can enjoy these books. The manageable length and carefully chosen vocabulary encourages success and brings children back for more. These four books, by top UK middle grade… Continue reading Middle Grade Gems from Barrington Stoke
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
Scope for Imagination 