February 2022 With high-speed, heart-pounding danger; high-tech, environmentally-friendly science; and MacGyver-style engineering, the fifth instalment of the Adventures on Trains series is everything we hoped for and more. We join Hal and his Uncle Nat on a three week adventure in Australia. Hal takes advantage of the stunning landscape to fill his sketchbook with every… Continue reading Sabotage on the Solar Express by MG Leonard & Sam Sedgman, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli
Since reading the first Violet Veil mystery back in early 2021, my daughter and I have been eagerly awaiting this sequel. It is just as fantastic as the first! With twists and turns, dark secrets and a brilliant cast of characters, it’s a super mystery to get caught up in. Violet is the daughter of… Continue reading The Violet Veil Mysteries: A Case of Misfortune by Sophie Cleverly
Libby and the Parisian Puzzle by Jo Clarke is an absolute delight. Full of spark and intuition, it celebrates the fact that kids can do anything – including outsmarting the adults who think they’re more clever. This fast-paced mystery overflowing with clues took me back to my love of Nancy Drew mysteries as a child.… Continue reading Libby and the Parisian Puzzle by Jo Clarke
Rita Wong and the Jade Mask is a classic crime thriller with a twist. Full of funny, fantastical characters and a dark edge, children will love trying to solve the mystery along with Jade and her dragon friend, Lester Thyme. It’s an ordinary winter’s day when Rita unknowingly follows Lester from Morecambe into the strange… Continue reading Rita Wong and the Jade Mask by Mark Jones & illustrated by Seamus Jennings
Books from Barrington Stoke are so often my go-to recommendations for teachers and parents. First and foremost, they are fantastically engaging stories from some of the best, current authors in the UK. The quality of the writing is incredible and children are soon carried away in the adventures. What makes Barrington Stoke books really special… Continue reading Brilliant Books from Barrington Stoke – September 2021
Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month – September 2021 The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre is a wonderful romp through Paris with a charming bookish mystery. Dastardly villains who don’t care about anyone but themselves think they have a brilliant plan to ensure a terrible writer meets his looming deadlines. Bastien is determined to outsmart… Continue reading The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre by Clare Povey
It’s half-term and Anisha’s family are off on a road trip. This is a recipe for disaster with a whole host of funny mishaps before they even arrive at the National Space Centre and the Shabdkosh Festival. The festival is so exciting. It has everything you could ever want including a chance to meet a… Continue reading Anisha Accidental Detective: Granny Trouble! by Serena Patel & illustrated by Emma McCann
When I was a child, I loved the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. If you want to explore the castle, turn to page 71. If you want to battle the troll, turn to page 96. There were so many possibilities and so many endings. This week, I was thrilled to discover two new books that… Continue reading Choose Your Own Adventure for the next generation
Hal and his Uncle Nat are back with the fourth Adventures on Trains mystery! This time, they find themselves journeying across Europe to the mountains of Germany to find the answers to an old family curse, an unexplained death and a missing will. They’ve packed plenty of intuition, deduction and determination to see them through.… Continue reading Danger at Dead Man’s Pass by MG Leonard & Sam Sedgman
The House on the Edge is a story of life on the edge: on the edge of family break down, on the edge of loss, on the edge of everything falling apart. Faith and her little brother, Noah, live with their mum in The Lookout – a strange, old house that sits on the very… Continue reading The House on the Edge by Alex Cotter
Scope for Imagination 