Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine by Claire Fayers, reviewed by Niamh (11)

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine is a thrilling adventure through space by Claire Fayers, who’s best known for the Accidental Pirates book series. It is illustrated by the brilliant Becka Moor who has drawn some of my favourite books like the Mickey and the Animal Spies trilogy and the Libby series. 

The story features Tapper, a boy from the planet Eris who has been sent to space by his uncle. He is accompanied by Argo and Belladonna who are there to look after him. On an unplanned trip to Earth, they meet Fern Shakespeare, her dad and a talking plant called Morse. 

“It’s so imaginative and funny. I absolutely adored how Claire Fayers created so many planets in this book, and who wouldn’t love a book with lobster mobsters and talking plants?!”

Niamh (11)

When Mr Shakespeare loses his memory, Tapper and the others must travel to outer space on an adventure to find the mysterious Nemo Machine to restore his memory, but it isn’t easy doing so when you’re being chased by two lobster mobsters armed with ray guns that turn you into stone!  

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine is a brilliant, unique story full of twists and non-stop excitement. I love this book because it’s so imaginative and funny. I absolutely adored how Claire Fayers created so many planets in this book, and who wouldn’t love a book with lobster mobsters and talking plants?!

I particularly enjoyed the exciting chase scenes through space, my heart was pounding I was so excited reading it! I also liked the Greek Mythology names (e.g Scylla) and references. 

This book is ideal for people who love space adventures, imaginative characters and thrilling twists! 

Perfect for fans of: The Peanut Jones series by Rob Biddulph. 

The Octopus, Dadu and Me by Lucy Ann Unwin, reviewed by Niamh (10)

The Octopus, Dadu and Me is the heart-warming debut book from Lucy Ann Unwin. 

Sashi is left completely heartbroken when her parents tell her she can no longer visit her beloved grandfather, Dadu, because of his dementia. Instead of visiting Dadu in the care home, her parents start taking her to the local aquarium to take her mind off things and that’s when she meets Ian… an octopus who longs to escape. 

I really like this book because it’s extremely unique and a great insight into octopuses and dementia.

Niamh (aged 10)

With the help of her friends, Darcie and Hassan, they come up with a plan to break Ian out of his aquarium prison. 

It has loads of fascinating octopus facts and fun cartoon illustrations throughout the book, drawn by Lucy Mulligan. Did you know that octopuses can squeeze through spaces smaller than their eyeball?!

My favourite parts of the book were Sashi’s special memories with her Dadu and about what it’s like to have someone so close to you who doesn’t even remember you because of dementia.

I really like this book because it’s extremely unique and a great insight into octopuses and dementia. I found out lots of facts about both in a fun and engaging way, at the same time that Sashi and her friends are trying to work out how to sneak an octopus out of the aquarium without anyone noticing!

I would recommend this book especially to anyone whose families have experienced dementia, as there are not many books that deal with this subject well or even at all. It’s also perfect for people who like adventurous stories. I look forward to more books from Lucy!

Perfect for fans of: Keep Dancing, Lizzy Chu by Maisie Chan, and Me and My Dad at the End of the Rainbow.

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter, reviewed by Riley (12)

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh, by Helen Rutter, is a touching story about a young boy called Billy Plimpton, who has a stammer.

Heart warming but also hilariously funny!

Riley (12)

He dreams of becoming a famous stand-up comedian, but first he has to overcome the many complications that come with his stammer.

This book is not only heart warming but also hilariously funny!

It is a perfect mixture of warmth and humour. And you don’t just have to take my word for it, as it has received great reviews, including one from Jacqueline Wilson herself!

I highly recommend that you read this book, or purchase it as a gift for a loved one. It can be enjoyed by anyone from age 11 to adult!

The Thief Who Sang Storms by Sophie Anderson, Reviewed by Aysha (11)

The Thief Who Sang Storms is a great book written by Sophie Anderson. 

It contains magic, creativity, teamwork and most of all love (but not the romance kind).

I love how this book has lots of flashbacks so you can understand the back story too

Aysha (11)

It’s all about a bird girl called Linnet and her Island of Morovia, which is now divided into areas where humans live and a swamp area where all the bird people now reside, after something drastic happened. 

The bird people formed a group called the Unity Movement who have been trying to take down Captain Ilya who separated the bird people from humans for ‘safety’ after what happened. When Linnet’s father, Nightingale, gets caught by the bogatyrs (Captain IIya’s troops), Linnet realises she needs to do something. 

She teams up with humans to help stop this nonsense, but can she do it?

I love how this book has lots of flashbacks so you can understand the back story too.

The Light Thieves by Helena Duggan, reviewed by Catherine (11)

The planet has shifted on its axis in what is known as The Tilt, an enormous earthquake which also caused a black mark to appear on the sun. Billionaire tech genius Howard Hansomhas a plan to harness PEOPLEPOWER! to fix the earth – but not everyone is convinced…

I love it when they enter the Wilde Forest. It is a dark and mysterious place and you can tell that exciting things are going to happen there.

Catherine (11)

The main character in this story is schoolboy Grian Woods, closely followed by Jeffrey Slight, Grian’s neighbour and classmate, and Shelli, a Wilde girl. Both have unique and exciting abilities; Jeffrey has an impressive skill with all things technology, and Shelli can communicate with animals. The three team up to bring home Grian’s older sister Solas after she runs away to the Tipping Point – a city designed by Howard Hansom in the perfect position to save the world.

However, when the heroic trio arrive, not all is as it seems. Something dark is going on in the city of everybody’s dreams – could it have anything to do with Grian’s missing grandfather? It’s up to Grian and his new friends to find out and put it right.

My favourite character is Shelli’s clever fox friend Nach and I love it when they enter the Wilde Forest. It is a dark and mysterious place and you can tell that exciting things are going to happen there. I would recommend this book to ages 8-12. Other books by Helena Duggan are A Place Called Perfect, The Trouble with Perfect, and The Battle for Perfect. I haven’t read this trilogy but it sounds good!

Running Out of Time by Simon Fox, reviewed by Torrin (16)

Running Out Of Time is a poignant story about the current refugee crisis, it’s also a high concept science-fiction thriller. Simon Fox juggles complex ideas about a new kind of time travel as well as exploring the journey of a refugee.

An important, timeless novel that was thrilling and moving all at the same time.

Torrin

I worried that perhaps the science-fiction would eclipse the journey of Alex (our central character) but it supports it. Fox understands that the most interesting themes and ideas in the book are the more grounded and down to earth ones therefore the focus of the novel is on them. It’s rare to find a science-fiction book which works as a complex character study with the science removed, it’s almost unheard of in children’s or YA fiction.  

The sci-fi concept isn’t undeveloped either, it’s a simple yet hugely effective idea that allows for organic twists and turns.

The heart of the story is Alex, we know hardly anything about his life before he became a refugee – we don’t even know which country he’s from. What draws the reader to him is his calm sense of self and his perseverance. The rest of the characters are never quite who they seem either, turning them into three-dimensional human beings not just stereotypes.

Whether you’re a fan of Science-Fiction or not you really need to pick this one up. It’s an important, timeless novel that was thrilling and moving all at the same time.

Spellstoppers, by Cat Gray reviewed by Evie M (9)

Favourite character: My favourite character is Courageous Kit with her smart witted brain and sea-cret!

Read on if you dare!

Evie M (9)

What it’s about: It’s about a boy called Max who possesses a magic he can’t control so he is sent to stay with Bewitching Bram. There he discovers the Spellbinding Cove of Spellstoppers, evil enchantresses, Super Sulkies, Overhead Owls, mysterious mysts, and a crazy castle.

Adventures await! Read on if you dare!

The Dangerous Life of Ophelia Bottom by Susie Bower, reviewed by Niamh (9)

The Dangerous Life of Ophelia Bottom is Susie Bower’s new release, following on from School for Nobodies and The Three Impossibles.  

Ophelia Bottom and her Shakespearean acting parents end up stuck in the perfect town of Stopford, after her dad literally breaks a leg during a performance. 

I really enjoyed The Dangerous Life of Ophelia Bottom! It was full of adventure, mystery, twists and had a very dark side to it.

Niamh (9)

Used to travelling, Ophelia is glad to be staying in one place for a change, especially one as perfect as Stopford. However, after starting school and encountering the ‘perfects’ and learning the unusual Stopford motto, Plasticus stupendus est, Diversus periculosus est – Plastic is fantastic, Different is dangerous – Ophelia is soon wary of the town and the mysterious Professor Potkettle, who owns the factory on the hill…

I really enjoyed The Dangerous Life of Ophelia Bottom! It was full of adventure, mystery, twists and had a very dark side to it. Ophelia was a great main character and I liked the mystery surrounding Professor Potkettle and what he’d do next. 

I’d recommend it as a great read during the school summer holidays, keeping you entertained. It’s a brilliant book for people who like a good twist and a dark plot.

Perfect for fans of: Megamonster by David Walliams; The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart; and A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.

The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre by Clare Povey, reviewed by Aysha (11)

In this magnificent book by Clare Povey, the main character, Bastien Bonlivre, gets taken to an orphanage. In this orphanage, the owner, Monsieur Xavier, is not very nice and horrible to the children.

Bastien’s parents died and they left behind a notebook which was told to have something hidden inside it as they were very famous book writers.

I loved this book as it’s based in France and I love reading stories about different places. There are even a few French words in it too!

Aysha (11)

Over the next few days in the awful orphanage bastien meets another boy, Theo, who is a very cunning engineer who can build almost anything out of scrap. As the months go by, Theo and Bastien decide to escape briefly to see France in all its pride and glory.

Suddenly back at the orphanage the notebook gets stolen, can Bastien get is back before it’s too late?

I loved this book as its based in France and I love reading stories about different places. There are eve a few French words in it too!

This book will be right up your alley if you like stories, as Bastien reads a lot of stories to the orphanage boys: mysteries, crime and Paris.

The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton, reviewed by Evie B (11)

‘The Secret of Haven Point’ is a heart-warming story about a girl called Alpha Lux. She was abandoned as a baby at Haven Point, a lighthouse which, since then, has become a safe place for any person with a disability or difference in need of a place to belong. The inhabitants name themselves ‘Wrecklings,’ raiding ships with the help of mermaids who live nearby. Alpha spends her days adventuring with her best friend, Badger, and trying not to get into trouble. Until one day, she spots a mysterious light upon the hill, and swiftly realises that her much-loved new family are in danger of being exposed to Outsiders…

Her fabulous tale is full of excitement and thrills – I just couldn’t stop reading! It’s also a story of friendship and compassion… I really felt for Alpha as I read.

Evie B (11)

I absolutely adored ‘The Secret of Haven Point’. It is a brilliant debut novel from the extraordinary new author, Lisette Auton. Her fabulous tale is full of excitement and thrills – I just couldn’t stop reading! It’s also a story of friendship and compassion. I really felt for Alpha as I read, because she wonders so often about what happened in her past, and why she was abandoned at the lighthouse. It is an amazing narrative and I really enjoyed the fact that there were such positive representations of children with disabilities and differences in the book.

‘The Secret of Haven Point’ actually has a lot of extremely important morals behind the wonderful storyline, including one about believing in yourself and being true to who you are. Another key message in it is that everyone should be judged by their personalities and actions, rather than their appearance. This is one of the fundamental ideas of the story, and I appreciate that it is included because it is just as important in real life. This book really celebrates the themes of belonging and acceptance, and I think that that’s brilliant.

I would recommend this story to anyone aged 9 or over. It’s a truly unique story, but any fans of adventure and mystery novels with a sprinkling of magic (such as the ‘Harry Potter’ series by J.K. Rowling) would find this book really captivating. I can’t wait to see what ideas Lisette Auton comes up with in her next book!

★★★★★ 5 stars!