News & Reviews

Our Books of the Month for May

A Mouse Called Julian by Joe Todd-Stanton – Julian likes living on his own but will that change after his dinner is rudely interrupted one night? 

Dave Pigeon (Royal COO!) by Swapna Haddow, ill. Sheena Dempsey – The fourth hilarious offering from our favourite pigeons, Dave and his best mate Skipper. 6+

Swimming Against the Storm by Jess Butterworth  – An exciting adventure with an environmental message set in the swampland of the Southern states of America. 9+

You Can’t Hide by Sarah Mussi– A page-turning YA thriller complete with an unreliable narrator, secret identities and lost memories. Absolutely gripping!

May’s Indie Book of the Month

We absolutely love A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Perry and are thrilled that it is the Independent Bookseller’s Children’s Book of the month for May!

Meet Swift, he lives with his pack in the mountains until rival wolves invade his home and he is forced to flee. He must decide whether to try and survive on his own on the borders of his old hunting ground or to search for a new home.

Will he find the courage to survive all by himself? Inspired by a true story, A Wolf Called Wander is about family, courage and survival.

This is a powerful story that celebrates the raw beauty of nature and survival against all odds, perfect for fans of Gill Lewis, Michael Morpurgo and Jess Butterworth. Age 9+.

Book review- Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet

Welcome, readers, to the imaginative brain of Omar! You might not know me yet, but once you open the pages of this book you’ll laugh so hard that snot will come out of your nose (plus you might meet a dragon and a zombie – what more could you want?).

My parents decided it would be a good idea to move house AND move me to a new school at the same time.

As if I didn’t have a hard enough time staying out of trouble at home, now I’ve also got to try and make new friends. What’s worse, the class bully seems to think I’m the perfect target. At least Eid’s around the corner which means a feast (YAY) and presents (DOUBLE YAY). Well, as long as I can stay in Mum and Dad’s good books long enough…

Previously published as ‘THE MUSLIMS’, this was the winner of the Little Rebels Award in June 2018. The text has been revised, expanded with new scenes and re-illustrated.

We LOVE this Tom Gates- style book for younger readers. Perfect for 7+ and full of fun, it’s also beautifully diverse and gives a great insight into Muslim culture, promoting empathy and understanding. Brilliant for school book corners and fab for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

April’s Indie Book of the Month

It’s time for a new Indie book of the month and April’s glorious offering is Padraig Kenny’s new book Pog. We are big fans and can’t wait for you all to read it too!

David and Penny’s strange new home is surrounded by forest. It’s the childhood home of their mother, who’s recently died. But other creatures live here … magical creatures, like tiny, hairy Pog. He’s one of the First Folk, protecting the boundary between the worlds.

As the children explore, they discover monsters slipping through from the place on the other side of the cellar door. Meanwhile, David is drawn into the woods by something darker, which insists there’s a way he can bring his mother back …

The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum

How far would you go to stand up for what is right? With twists and turns, mysteries to unfold and a wonderful female lead who feels the fear and does it anyway, The Middler is a fantastic middle grade introduction to dystopian stories.

“I was special. I was a hero. I lost the best friend I ever had.”

Eleven-year-old Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, enclosed and protected from the outside world by a boundary, beyond which the Quiet War rages and the dirty, dangerous wanderers roam.

Her brother Jed is an eldest, revered and special. A hero. Her younger brother is Trig – everyone loves Trig. But Maggie’s just a middler; invisible and left behind. Then, one hot September day, she meets Una, a hungry wanderer girl in need of help, and everything Maggie has ever known gets turned on its head.

Narrated expertly and often hilariously by Maggie, we experience the trials and frustrations of being the forgotten middle child, the child with no voice, even in her own family.

This gripping story of forbidden friendship, loyalty and betrayal is perfect for fans of Malorie Blackman, Meg Rosoff and Frances Hardinge.

The Middler isn't about being brave, it focuses more on an innate sense of justice and standing up for what you believe in to the best of your ability. A story for our times, it looks at the importance of seeing the world through others' eyes, the misguided abuse of power and the importance of questioning authority. It is about celebrating our skills and our individuality and embracing diversity.

We were entirely entranced.