Evie and the Animals is a thrilling adventurous book about an eleven-year-old girl called Evie who can talk to animals!!! Her ‘Talent’ leads her into brilliant adventures and difficult situations. Evie and the Animals is one of the best books I have ever read and that is saying something! My two favourite characters are Evie and a dog called Scruff who is really cute and funny. One of my favourite parts of the book is when Evie is helping out at the Zoo and a boy falls in the lion enclosure. I won’t give away what happens next but it’s very dramatic!!! Whilst reading this book I was so excited that I couldn’t put the book down!!!
Aletha is 7 and three-quarters. She lives in Brighton and has a guinea pig called Bella. Her favourite authors are Jacqueline Wilson, Roald Dahl, Jill Murphy and J.K Rowling. The fictional world she would most like to live in is the Land of Roar and the character she would most like to be is Evie from the book Evie and the Animals. The character she would least to be stuck in a lift with is Draco Malfoy.
About the book
WHEN EVIE TALKS TO ANIMALS . . . THEY TALK BACK.
Eleven-year-old Evie has a talent: a supertalent. She can HEAR what animals are thinking.
She promises to keep it top secret, but then an evil pet-thief strikes.
Every animal in town is in danger and only by DARING TO BE HERSELF can Evie save her furry and feathered friends.
I enjoyed this book a lot, it was so realistic I felt like I stepped into the main character, Kiki’s world that she created called Mysore. Mysore is a fantastical world that Kiki made up, it has tons of peaceful markets and joyful people dancing and music calmly sweeping through the breeze. But a monster is tearing it apart and she is the only one who can stop it…
This book was enjoyable as the author created characters with so much personality, they felt real! Kiki is a super interesting main character as she worries a lot but is an amazing artist. That gives it suspense as she might not be brave enough to fight Mahishasura, the demon monster that is willing to take over Mysore and expand the crack between universes so he can also take over the world.
This book was so thrilling and had such good twists that I couldn’t stop reading! I like that the characters aren’t all friendly, so she has a few arguments and huffs with some. Even though it wasn’t very much of a funny book some of the parts were quite rib tickling. Kiki being an artist is an excellent part as it enables the city to be of her own magical devising. Kiki’s city was so enchanting and divine I wish I could take a holiday there!
Five stars from me!
My name is Rosa and I am nine, I live in Hove with my cat Minty, annoying brother Otto and my parents. I love reading and writing. Writing is not just popping words on a page, to me it’s a step into a new world, everything is amazing and crazy, nothing is boring and grey. Reading is one of my total passions. My favourite books are usually mystery/action and include The Percy Jackson series, Harry Potter and some other smashing books. I have also written two books: Story Le Jenrale; and Paris at its Worst. Currently I am writing another, it is a picture book this time and is called Don’t Zigzag the Zoo.
Kiki Kallira is more of a worrier than a warrior – but today she will learn to be a hero. The mythical beasts she loves to draw have come to life, and she is the only one who can defeat them. A middle-grade fantasy inspired by Hindu legends about anxiety, creativity and finding your own strengths. For 8+ fans of Abi Elphistone and The Land of Roar.
Kiki Kallira has always been a worrier. Did she lock the front door? Is there a terrible reason her mum is late? Recently her anxiety has been getting out of control, but one thing that has always soothed her is drawing. Kiki’s sketchbook is full of fantastical doodles of the Hindu myths and legends her mother has told her since she was tiny.
One day, her sketchbook’s calming effect is broken when her mythological characters begin springing to life and Kiki is pulled into the mystical world she drew.
There, she discovers the band of rebel kids who protect the kingdom, as well as an ancient, monstrous god bent on total destruction. Kiki must overcome her fear and anxiety to save both worlds – the real and the imagined – from his wrath.
But how can a girl armed with only a pencil defeat something so powerful?
‘A fast-paced, vivid and exciting adventure story with real heart, I couldn’t stop reading!‘ – Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series
Hi my name is Ozzy and I like reading. Some of my favourite books are The Dogman Collection, The Brownstone Family Collection and Roal Dhal books (I’m reading the BFG at the moment which is great!). I like chocolate, ice cream, dancing, playing ultimate tag and I like maths too! I love reading funny voices in stories and trying different accents, it’s fun! I have a little sister she is small and very funny😜she copies everything I do and it’s weird! I read books to her and she “reads” to me too.
Hi my name is Ozzy and I like reading. Some of my favourite books are The Dogman Collection, The Brownstone Family Collection and Roal Dhal books (I’m reading the BFG at the moment which is great!). I like chocolate, ice cream, dancing, playing ultimate tag and I like maths too! I love reading funny voices in stories and trying different accents, it’s fun! I have a little sister she is small and very funny😜she copies everything I do and it’s weird! I read books to her and she “reads” to me too.
Howl with laughter with the THIRD book in the hilarious full-colour, illustrated series, Dog Man, from the creator of Captain Underpants!
He was the best of dogs… He was the worst of dogs… It was the age of invention… It was the season of surprise… It was the eve of supa sadness… It was the dawn of hope…
Dog Man hasn’t always been a paws-itive addition to the police force. While he can muzzle miscreants, he tends to leave a slick of slobber in his wake! This time, Petey the cat’s dragged in a tiny bit of trouble — a double in the form of a super-cute kitten. Dog Man will have to work twice as hard to bust these furballs and remain top dog! Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including: empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of being true to one’s self.
Rainbow Grey is the brand-new rainbowtastic adventure from the creator of the amazing Amelia Fang book series, the brilliant Laura Ellen Anderson!
Laura has created a whole new world called The Weatherlands, based on all of the different types of weather. The main character is 10-year-old Ray Grey who is a Weatherling with no powers, but that’s all set to change the night of the eclipse festival… the book title and Ray’s multi-coloured hair on the front cover may be a big clue!
Ray must try to save Earth from a massive storm, alongside her two friends Droplett and Snowden. And no Laura Ellen Anderson book is complete without a loveable, cute companion – this time in the form of exploding cloud cat Nim (short for Nimothy, not Nimbus!).
Rainbow Grey is an amazing adventure, with lots of twists through the story. Just like Amelia Fang, her new book series has the winning formula of the power of friendship, an adorable sidekick (Nim is the new challenger to Squashy in cuteness), and a feisty main character that never gives up.
I love the funny bits when Nim’s body parts get all muddled up when he explodes, often at the worst times! I really like that Droplett has the rain power to puddle-port anywhere and the exploding rumblebuns from the Rising Bun Bakery made me laugh! I also enjoyed that the book had lots of little hidden references to Amelia Fang – try to spot them all!
I think that Amelia and Ray would be great friends, and what I like so much about Laura’s books is that you feel like the characters are your friends too.
I recommend this book to everybody! I can’t wait for the next Rainbow Grey instalment and I think there’s going to be a lot of rainbow wigs and waistcoats being bought for next World Book Day. Laura Ellen Anderson is one of the best authors and illustrators in the world (and in Nocturnia and the Weatherlands!) and everyone should have all of her books on their bookshelves.
Rating: 5/5
Perfect for fans of: Amelia Fang by Laura Ellen Anderson; Evil Emperor Penguin by Laura Ellen Anderson; Frostheart by Jamie Littler; and The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Reviewer: Niamh Wilson, aged 8
Hello! My name is Niamh and I’m aged 8. 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!
A magical new series from best-selling author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson! Ten-year-old Ray Grey lives in the magical Weatherlands, high in the sky. Ray is surrounded by Weatherlings with astounding weather power at their fingertips . . . but she doesn’t have ANY magic! Then, after a trip to Earth, Ray’s life changes forever. She is transformed from Ray Grey into RAINBOW GREY! With the help of her best friends (and exploding cloud cat, Nim) now all Ray has to do is master her powers AND save the world from a mysterious, powerful enemy .
Edie and her best friend, Oscar, are about to start secondary school. Edie is excited and thinks things will be just the same, but it turns out a lot of things will change. Edie must learn it’s good to make new friends, try new things, and become even more independent.
Edie has Cerebral Palsy. Before I read this book, I didn’t know what Cerebral Palsy was, but I do now, and Edie tells us how she’d like people to talk to her about it. I really liked the way it was written as Edie’s diary. It’s like a friend chatting to you and you learn about her feelings. Edie is also very funny.
I liked the messages about giving people a chance and getting to know them, and following your heart and not doing something just because it’s what everyone else seems to be doing.
I read lots of fantasy books and I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I loved it! Five stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
We agree, Mia! Edie Eckhart IS amazing. We love the positivity in this book and can’t wait to share it with everyone. Team Book Nook.
Mum Kate says:
What a great book! It’s such a good conversation starter too. I think most people could identify with someone or a situation in this book; starting secondary school and those pre teen years are a huge deal for everyone. I love the diary style which affords us access to Edie’s feelings. I’d like to see this book in every KS2 classroom.
Hello! My name is Mia, I am 8 and live in Harrogate. I like writing stories and drawing pictures. I am a Brownie and also help with Rainbows. I enjoy performing, and have dance, piano and mandarin lessons. Obviously I absolutely love reading!
A sparky middle-grade series from TV comedian Rosie Jones. Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Wilson and DORK DIARIES.
‘Fresh, funny and ultra cool’ – Jacqueline Wilson
Hello! My name is Edie Eckhart and I’m eleven years old.
I’m a little bit different. I have a disability called cerebral palsy, so I talk slowly and fall over a lot. It’s never really bothered me because I’ve never known anything else.
Edie Eckhart is Excited with a capital E to start secondary school with her best friend Oscar – the fish to her chips, the bananas to her custard. But when she and Oscar are put into different tutor groups on their first day, Edie is devastated. Who will play secret hangman with her in class? Who will she eat sausage rolls with? But while she’s plotting her reunion with Oscar, she accidentally gets cast as the lead in the school play.
As Edie discovers a passion for performance, she also finds new friendships, talents, and dreams. After all, it’s easy to shine on and off the stage when you’re Amazing with a capital A.
Hello! My name is Niamh and I’m aged 8. 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!
Perfect for fans of Liz Pichon’s Tom Gates series!
Finn loves drawing comic strips featuring his two cartoon heroes, Arley and Tapper. But after being teased at school, he finds he can’t draw them any more – and is shocked to see them climbing out of his sketchbook for real! With the help of his friend Isha, Finn needs to find a way to draw them back to their comic world – and quickly …
A brilliant action-packed comic series for readers aged 8-12, illustrated by Phil Corbett! A big-hearted adventure about celebrating individuality, friendship and true loyalty.
Deals with children’s insecurities, worries and the debilitating effect of anxiety with a lightness of touch. Author Tom Ellen is the co-author of three books for teens, including Lobsters, shortlisted for the YA Book Prize.
In this book, you will embark on an exciting adventure. Join Fred, Con, Lila and Max as they crash in a plane heading to Manaus. Flinch as they almost die whilst climbing a tree for honey. Murmur as they meet The Explorer, as he trains them to live in the jungle. Scream, when something happens that threatens their entire existence…
My favourite character was Con because she appeared to be tough with no feelings but really, she was a gentle character who had lived with her mean aunt for years. The language the author used made me feel like I was there with the characters and I could feel the fear and excitement that they experienced.
The few black and white illustrations in the book really set the scene and added to my enjoyment of the book.
This book is thrilling and unpredictable and I would recommend for boys and girls above the age of 7.
I would love to know what happens next, please ask Katherine Rundell to write a sequel!
My name is Sophie and I am 9. I live in Essex with my family: my younger brother and sister, mum and dad and not forgetting my 10 month old hamster. As well as reading I enjoy lots of other things. Some of my hobbies are reading, writing, drawing, playing the violin, drama, swimming and gymnastics. At school I am in year 4. My favourite lessons are art, music, drama, ICT and English. My not-so-favourite lessons are maths, science, history and geography.
Go on an adventure with Katherine Rundell … Winner of the Children’s Book PrizeWinner of the Costa Children’s Book Award 2017Winner of the London Book Fair Children’s Travel Book of the Year’I loved The Explorer’ Jacqueline Wilson’Rundell is now unarguably in the FIRST RANK’ Philip Pullman’Read everything she writes’ Daily MailFrom his seat in the tiny aeroplane, Fred watches as the mysteries of the Amazon jungle pass by below him. He has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, of making history and of reading his name amongst the lists of great discoveries.
If only he could land and look about him. As the plane crashes into the canopy, Fred is suddenly left without a choice. He and the three other children may be alive, but the jungle is a vast, untamed place.
With no hope of rescue, the chance of getting home feels impossibly small. Except, it seems, someone has been there before them …
This very much feels like a book of the moment. At a time when our children are facing a new way of life and an uncertain future, this might be just the book they need to help them find their own silver lining.
Jenny Valentine brilliantly describes Joy’s feelings of being adrift and overwhelmed by the experience of starting school and facing a world so far away from everything she’s ever known. Her resilience and determination to look on the bright side is like a warm hug in book form.
I didn’t want it to end and can’t wait to follow Joy’s journey further. A reassuring read to inject some much-needed joy into your day and leave you feeling positive and inspired.
Brilliant for fans of the Hope Jones books and those who need a little lift. Best for age 7+
For readers aged 9+ comes a sparkling new series about family, friends and finding the joy in life! From the mind of award-winning author Jenny Valentine, this is the perfect series for fans of Jacqueline Wilson, Cath Howe and Lara Williamson!
Meet ten-year-old Joy Applebloom, a girl with a knack for finding the silver lining in even the darkest of rainclouds. After years of travelling the world with her parents and older sister, Claude (Claude rhymes with bored, which is just about right), Joy and her family move to suburbia – back to school, back to her grumpy, rule-obsessed grandad and back to normality. Joy soon finds her usual irrepressible positivity and zest for life waning, but when the powers that be threaten to pull down a mighty oak tree, Joy decides to fight back, and realizes that not all magic requires wands and spells, and perhaps the most important sort of magic is the power, resilience and courage that was there all along .
This book feels like Christmas. It has all the warmth, excitement and hope of Christmas, tied with a witty bow and the promise of magic. It has everything you could ask for from a Christmas book; magical characters, a rags to riches story, a disgruntled baddie, a fierce friendship and more than a sprinkling of hope.
Laugh out loud funny and so brilliantly visual; Tinsel is crying out to be made into a Christmas film. Fiercely feminist and written with warmth and wisdom, this book gives you all the feels.
As with all her books, Sibeal gives a nod to social politics; stamping on gender stereotypes, highlighting inequality and the misuse of power and celebrating the individual who stands up for what they believe.
My new Christmas favourite and a Christmas classic in the making.
About the book:
What if somewhere along the way we’ve all got the Santa story a bit wrong…? Join Blanche Claus and her best friend Rinki for a funny festive sleigh ride you’ll never forget! From Sibeal Pounder, bestselling author of the Witch Wars and Bad Mermaids series, this tale of friendship and mince-pie feasts is the perfect book to curl up with this winter.
Funny, feminist and with a huge heart, it’s a gloriously Christmassy adventure that will delight even the biggest Grinch.
Due to be published 29th October, you can order a SIGNED and PERSONALISED copy here.
