Category: Age 8+

The Mermaid in the Millpond by Lucy Strange, reviewed by Abi

Abi tells us why she recommends The Mermaid in the Millpond and why Barrington Stoke books are so important to her. Thank you, Abi!

About the book:

History and myth entwine in this atmospheric tale of freedom and friendship from bestselling author Lucy Strange and acclaimed illustrator Pam Smy. Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel – a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for.

The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison with no way out. Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it’s all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water.

But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape …

Check out some of the Barrington Stoke books available:

The Midnight Hunt by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder, reviewed by Aysha

“This book was astonishingly good. The way it was written was amazing.”

We LOVE Aysha’s artwork. She always captures book covers so beautifully!

About the book

The third and final adventure in Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder’s magical Midnight Hour series!

‘A fantastic magical adventure featuring a cast of Ghibli-esque characters, a feisty heroine and a hedgehog. I loved it.’ M.G. LEONARD, author of BEETLE BOY on book 1′

Fans of Nevermoor will love this’ THE BOOKSELLER on book 1

‘I haven’t enjoyed this kind of caper so much since Harry Potter’ NEW STATESMAN on book 1

‘Pure delight’ THE GUARDIAN ON BOOK 1

Emily is locked out of the Midnight Hour, and things have grown dangerously dark in Victorian London.

Her friends and family are on the run from the terrifying Midnight Hunt, while the foul Make Britain Dark Again party schemes to break the spell that keeps both worlds safe. It’s going to take more than just Emily’s big mouth to fix this one. But how’s a girl meant to save the day (and night) when she’s all out of snacks and her possibly-magic pocket hedgehog is hibernating?

The ingeniously-plotted finale to the much-loved Midnight Hour trilogy, which began with The Midnight Hour and The Midnight Howl

A hilarious, spooky adventure full of genuine scares and belly laughs! Coraline meets A Wrinkle in Time: all the makings of a modern classic

Loki by Louie Stowell, reviewed by Mia

I found the Loki book very funny. Loki was a god of Asgard but got sent to Midgard (Earth) as a punishment for being naughty.  I liked how the story was set up to be like a diary and how the diary kept on correcting him when it detected the lies Loki told.

The part where Valerie (someone at Loki’s school) thought they were aliens was the funniest, especially when Loki thought she knew that he and Thor (Thor got sent down to Earth to be Loki’s fake brother) were gods of Asgard. She thought they were aliens after seeing them slide into Earth, so Loki made up a story of his fake planet. I think this book is great! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

About the book

Wry, witty and very funny diary-style story packed with doodles and comic strips about the frustration trickster god Loki feels at having to live trapped in the body of a weedy eleven-year-old boy. After one trick too many, Loki is banished to live on Earth as a “normal” school boy. Forbidden from using his AWESOME godly powers, Loki must show moral improvement.

As he records his lies THE TRUTH in his magical (judgemental) diary, it becomes clear Loki hasn’t a clue how to tell good from evil, trust from tricks, or friends from enemies.

Clementine Florentine by Tasha Harrison and May Mitchell, reviewed by Aysha

We absolutely LOVE this drawing! Well done, Aysha!

About the book…

Meet Clementine Florentine – a talented poet with a strong passion for Custard Creams! In an ingenious reverse ‘Parent Trap’, Clementine and her school nemesis Callum, have to work together to break Clem’s dad and Callum’s mum up, before they fall ‘in lurrrvee’ and the two poetry rivals end up step brother and sister! However, an unlikely friendship with ageing punk icon Lyn Ferno and her chatty pet parrot Viv, helps Clem to start seeing things differently. But by then, is it too late to undo the damage she’s caused? Imagine a female Tom Gates with a touch of a young Adrian Mole and the warmth of Jacqueline Wilson, and you’ve got Clementine Florentine rolled up in one. 

How I Saved the World in a Week by Polly Ho Yen, reviewed by Rosa

I loved How I Saved the World in a Week. The way she described the ‘greys’ sent a shoulder shaking chill down my spine. Even the cover feels suspenseful, tense, and mysterious. It is also handy because dotted throughout the tale there are little survival tips and skills. This perfectly written story had me hooked in the first few chapters. 

Are you on the edge of your seat and shaking with excitement yet? Well, if you’re not then the storyline will get you biting your nails.

It is about a boy who gets taken out of school to do activities with his mum but when something goes wrong, he goes to live with Steve, his stepdad. Suddenly, these creatures start appearing, and together, he and his two friends save the world in a week.

It was a touching and tear coaxing triumph that made me want to laugh and cry, I dearly hope that Polly Ho-Yen will make a follow up version soon.

About the book

A brilliantly imagined new 8+ adventure about resilience, family and hope. From the bestselling and Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted author of BOY IN THE TOWER. Perfect for fans of Ross Welford, Lisa Thompson and Onjali Rauf.

Rule number one: Always be prepared . . .

Billy’s mum isn’t like other mums. All she wants is to teach him the Rules of Survival – how to make fire, build shelter and find food . She likes to test Billy on the rules until one day she goes too far, and Billy is sent to live with a dad he barely knows.

Then the world changes forever as people begin to be infected with a mysterious virusthat turns their skin grey. As chaos breaks out, Billy has to flee the city. Suddenly he realises that this is what his mum was preparing him for – not just to save his family, but to save the whole world. 

Edie and the Box of Flits by Kate Wilkinson and Joe Berger, reviewed by Niamh

Edie and the Box of Flits is the first book written by Kate Wilkinson and is illustrated by Joe Berger, who is the well-known illustrator of the Hubble Bubble book series.

While helping her dad at London Transport’s Lost Property Office, 11-year-old Edie finds a mysterious box. When Edie hears tapping coming from inside, she encounters tiny flying people called Flits needing her help. Edie must embark on an adventure across London’s forgotten underground stations to help her new little friends and solve the mystery of what the sinister magpin birds are up to and if Vera Creech, who works at the lost property office, has anything to do with it…

I thought the book was really exciting and I loved reading about the world of the Flits, especially imagining what it would be like to be that miniature size. The illustrations are beautiful and really bring the Flits and the other characters to life.

I would definitely recommend Edie and the Box of Flits to anyone who likes adventurous and mysterious books like I do. It really reminds me of the story of The Borrowers, but set in modern times. I would absolutely love for Kate Wilkinson to continue to share the story of the Flits in future books. 

Only children under the age of 13 can see Flits. I’m only 9 so have lots more years of adventures with the Flits ahead!

Perfect for fans of: The Borrowers by Mary Norton, and the Hubble Bubble series by Tracey Corderoy and illustrated by Joe Berger 

Rules For Vampires by Alex Foulkes, reviewed by Ben

Rules for vampires is a book based on a 111-year-old vampire eternally in an 11-year-olds body. At 111 all vampires must complete their waxing moon- to complete this they must hunt and perform a bite on a live human. This was very important especially because Leo’s family is infamous, old and has existed over thousands of years and none of Leo’s ancestors had ever failed yet when the moon rose on her special night she did not rise to the challenge and disaster struck… 

I thought the book was unique, no other book I have read has been remotely similar. Although I may not have picked out the book in a library, I really enjoyed reading it and the strange world it transports you keeps you intrigued. I thought the ending was very wholesome and enjoyed the book till the finish. 

I think this book would be good for the age range 7-12 and people who enjoy the fantasy genre would love this book. Although most of the characters held no place in the real world you could almost feel it is possible. Especially with their magic walls hiding the castle they lived in. 

Overall, I think this was a very good book that can be enjoyed over a range of ages.

A Dinosaur Ate My Sister by Pooja Puri and Allen Fatimaharan, reviewed by Mia

This book looks like so much fun. Mia certainly thinks so!

About the book

A Dinosaur Ate My Sister is the first book selected in the Marcus Rashford Book Club.

‘The perfect story to escape into and find adventure. Pooja is super talented and I’m a big fan!’ – Marcus Rashford MBE

This brilliantly illustrated, laugh-out-loud, wacky adventure through time by Pooja Puri is the perfect blend of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Jurassic Park. 

Before you start reading, there are a few things you should know:
1. I, Esha Verma, am a genius inventor extraordinaire.
2. There is nothing I cannot invent. This includes words. 
3. I did not mean to send my sister back to the Age of the Dinosaurs. That was HER OWN FAULT (Mum and Dad, if you’re reading this, please take note).

Esha Verma, her snotty apprentice Broccoli and his cunning pet tortoise have a dream. They are going to win the legendary Brain Trophy – the ultimate inventing prize. This year’s entry: A TIME MACHINE.

But the day before the competition, Esha’s IGNORAMUS big sister hijacks the time machine and is lost in the Cretaceous age. 

With help from a new recruit for The Office of Time, Esha and Broccoli will have to face hungry dinosaurs, mysterious black holes and malfunctioning inventions to get them back in time.

Maria’s Island by Victoria Hislop, reviewed by Niamh

Maria’s Island is the first children’s book by Victoria Hislop, and is based on her best-selling novel The Island for adults. The main character is called Maria, who tells her granddaughter the untold story of her childhood growing-up on the Greek island of Plaka. Her home is near the island of Spinalonga, where people with a disease called leprosy have to live for the rest of their lives. 

The illustrations by Gill Smith are beautiful and help to bring the story to life, with bright, vibrant colours.

I think that the book is an important story to be told because leprosy is still a real thing and impacts on people in developing countries without the healthcare that they need, even though there is now a cure. 

Maria’s Island provides an important lesson about never giving up hope and I found it really interesting how badly people treated someone with leprosy, even somebody in their own family! The book is fiction, but the island of Spinalonga was where people with leprosy in real life had to move away to and leave their family and friends behind.

There were some upsetting bits in the book, and I would recommend reading it first with a grown-up who can explain some parts. I enjoyed this book and would like to ready more children’s books by Victoria Hislop if she writes anymore.

Perfect for fans of: When Fishes Flew by Michael Morpurgo, andAfter the War: From Auschwitz to Ambleside by Tom Palmer.

Hello! My name is Niamh and I’m aged 9. I’m an avid reader and some of my favourite authors and illustrators are Laura Ellen Anderson, Steven Butler, Steven Lenton, Sophy Henn and Sophie Anderson. I want to be an author and illustrator when I’m older and I love to write and draw in my spare time. I like to recommend books to my friends at school and believe you can never have too many books, even though I’m running out of space on my bookshelves! 

About the book:

A dramatic and moving story set in the same world as the international bestseller The Island from the celebrated novelist Victoria Hislop.  
The absorbing story of the Cretan village of Plaka and the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga – Greece’s former leper colony – is told to us by Maria Petrakis, one of the children in the original version of The Island . She tells us of the ancient and misunderstood disease of leprosy, exploring the themes of stigma, shame and the treatment of those who are different, which are as relevant for children as adults. Gill Smith’s rich, full-colour illustrations will transport the reader to the timeless and beautiful Greek landscape and Mediterranean seascape.

The Howling Hag Mystery by Nicki Thornton, Reviewed by Aysha

As a fan of mystery, action and adventure stories, the Howling Hag has become one of my favourite stories, along with some other books! It’s great for ages 7-8+ and I would recommend this book to people who love reading a good old mystery book sitting on the couch. Like me, you won’t be able to stop reading it!

The Howling Hag mystery is about two people (well three, if you count the talking cat, Nightshade.) Raven Charming, Mortimer Scratch (but he likes to be called Morti) and Nightshade (the talking cat). Raven knows that her family is the only magical family in Twinhills. Her sister Rookery can move things with her mind and eyes and her mum can detect magic. Sadly, Raven does not have an affinity for magic but will that change?

In Twinhills Primary, some unusual things have been going on and people think that a mysterious witch, The Howling Hag, is causing it. Is there another magical family in Twinhills? As Raven, Morti and Nightshade wander into investigating the case of the Howling Hag. Can they solve the case before it’s too late?

About the book

From the author of The Last Chance Hotel comes a brand new fantastical mystery series! ‘Blending magical adventure with Golden Age crime mystery, this delightfully atmospheric spin-off from the author of The Last Chance Hotel confirms Thornton’s place as one of the most original children’s writers around.’ WATERSTONES When there’s a murder in the village and a hag is heard howling at the local inn, secret witch Raven Charming realizes she could have a rival – one who practises the worst kind of magic.

With the help of amateur sleuth, Mortimer Scratch, and Nightshade, a talking cat with a feline sense of detection, she sets out to solve what’s been going on …

A magical murder mystery perfect for fans of Robin Stevens and Harry Potter

Book 1 in a new spin-off series from the author of The Last Chance Hotel, chosen as Waterstones Book of the Month and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Award

Features fan-favourite Nightshade as the star of her very own mystery!

Hello my name is Aysha and I’m 10 years old. I love reading, sports and baking. I like to read mystery and adventure books. I play two instruments the piano and the tenor horn which I enjoy. In my spare time I like to draw.Â