Blog Tour, Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Boy in the Suit by James Fox ~ Blog Tour

The Boy in the Suit is an incredibly moving and powerful novel for readers age 9+ (and the adults who care for them). So compelling and real, I struggled to put it down. I wanted to step into the story and look after ten-year-old Solo who is so funny and charming but also trapped inside… Continue reading The Boy in the Suit by James Fox ~ Blog Tour

Blog Tour, Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction, Teen

Raz Beri by Matt Stephens ~ Blog Tour

An extract from Raz Beri: When I was six, it felt good when my mum told me I was ‘special’. Those days are long gone. Now I know that ‘special’ means social outcast. It means living in fear of being side-lined, left on the bench. Do you fancy my kind of ‘special’? Thought not. ‘…nineteen,… Continue reading Raz Beri by Matt Stephens ~ Blog Tour

Book Review, Picture Books

Brilliant Picture Books to Share

The Boy, The Troll & The Chalk by Anne Booth & David Litchfield (Templar) Anne Booth has a gift for creating the most beautiful, empathy-filled stories of kindness, friendship and connection. In this wonderful partnership with David Litchifield, readers of all ages are challenged to look past what people say and how they act to… Continue reading Brilliant Picture Books to Share

Blog Tour, Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Secret of Golden Island by Natasha Farrant ~ Blog Tour

The Secret of Golden Island is the most wonderful empathy-fuelled adventure overflowing with determination and hope. Skylar and Yakov are classmates - each with their own story of heartbreak. Their paths have been incredibly different, hardly noticing each other at school, until they are thrown together with a common goal. Yakov lives with his aunt… Continue reading The Secret of Golden Island by Natasha Farrant ~ Blog Tour

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Boy Who Cried Ghost by Ian Eagleton

The Boy Who Cried Ghost is a one-of-a-kind story of finding inner strength and recognising what's worth fighting for. Richard has moved with his mum to his grandmother's old house. Neither of them want to live there but when Mum inherited it and they had to move quickly, it seemed like the best option. The… Continue reading The Boy Who Cried Ghost by Ian Eagleton

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Back of the Net by Eve Ainsworth

Back of the Net by Eve Ainsworth is her second emapthy-filled story about the brilliant girls' football team, the Lightmoor Lionesses. Eva is a fantastic footballer who suffers from psoriasis - a painful, itchy and embarrassing skin condition. After being bullied in her previous team, she's terrified to try out for the Lionesses. What if… Continue reading Back of the Net by Eve Ainsworth

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Boy in the Suit by James Fox

September 2024 The Boy in the Suit is an incredibly moving and powerful novel for readers age 9+ (and the adults who care for them). So compelling and real, I struggled to put it down. I wanted to step into the story and look after ten-year-old Solo who is so funny and charming but also… Continue reading The Boy in the Suit by James Fox

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

Little House by Katya Balen

Katya Balen has done it again with an honest and oh so powerful story of family, personal growth and challenging world issues. Little House is a beautiful shorter read with all the accessibility features Barrington Stoke has to offer combined with Katya Balen's distinct style. Written in first person, there is unmistakable character voice and… Continue reading Little House by Katya Balen

Book Review, Middle Grade Fiction

The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival

May 2024 There is no question The Wrong Shoes will be one of the most highly regarded and widely discussed books of the year - perhaps even of the decade. It is an incredibly powerful story of childhood poverty in the UK. It explores the pressures of finanacial hardship and family struggles through the eyes… Continue reading The Wrong Shoes by Tom Percival

Book Review, Picture Books

Gorgeous Picture Books for Autumn 2023

So many delightful picture books are available in Autum 2023. Here is a selection of really lovely ones to read with your class. Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf by Craig Barr-Green & Francis Martin (Little Tiger) So often we accept stories as they are told to us. But what if there's a better way. Gina… Continue reading Gorgeous Picture Books for Autumn 2023