Anwen, a meadow-witch, witnesses a Giant falling from the sky and destroying her village of Old Stump completely. When she discovers that he was Giant royalty, she’s determined to figure out who murdered him. With her Grandma’s magic, Anwen and her Cerys, her trainee sorceress, are transported by a beanstalk to the Giant’s Land. They use the fact they are small to sneak around the palace in order to discover who the murderer is.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it kept me guessing until the end.
My favourite person in the story is definitely Anwen, because I love her character and how she has this thrill for investigating and searching for the answers. I really enjoyed reading this book, it kept me guessing until the end.
When two school friends go on a school trip to the Alps, little did they realise that they were about to find a prehistoric dinosaur egg buried in the ice. Once the newly hatched dinosaur is put onto TikTok (hoping to make them social media stars), Finn and George find out it isn’t quite as easy as that. They are thrown into a story of adventure, espionage and survival trying to avoid the baddies who want to take Arty (the microraptor) away.
This, first in the series, book is jam packed with a crazy adventure plot as well as fast and funny jokes – perfect for 11-year-olds (who enjoy reading about adventures – think a humorous Alex Rider – and dinosaurs).
Secrets of the Snakestone is Piu DasGupta’s brilliant, gripping, thrilling debut middle-grade novel.
Set in the 19th century, Zélie Dutta has been shipped to Paris to work as a maid at Madame Malaise’s mansion far, far away from her home in Calcutta. The other servants hate her and accuse her of being a witch when poor Zélie has done nothing wrong!
“I was heartbroken when I finished it!”
Niamh (11)
The only thing keeping her happy were her father’s letters containing riddles, but one day they just stopped coming. Life seems normal and mundane until she finds out about the mysterious Snakestone and its connection to her family. Zélie, along with her friend Jules, must embark on a treacherous journey to find the deadly Snakestone before it falls into the wrong hands…
Secrets of Snakestone is dark, mysterious and you never know what’s coming next. I love the constant mysteries all through the book and the excitement on every single page! I am astounded how Piu Dasgupta managed to tell all that story in such a gripping way. I was heartbroken when I finished it!
I loved trying to solve the mysteries throughout the story and how different all the characters’ personalities were. And it would take a cold heart not to be won over by Titicaca the albino sloth!
This book is perfect for mystery lovers and people who love dark plots and shocking twists.
Perfect for fans of: The Cogheart Adventures by Peter Bunzl, The Eerie-on-Sea Mysteries by Thomas Taylor, and Mouse Heart by Fleur Hitchcock.
I absolutely loved this book. I got it for Christmas and I couldn’t put it down because it is a thrilling book to read. This book is great for readers who love adventure stories and books with illustrations.
“This book is funny and definitely one of my favourites.”
Aysha (12)
This book is the third in the Rob Biddulph’s series and it is all about Peanut Jones who is at the end of her journey to beat Mr White and make The Illustrated City wonderful again with the help of her friends. But when Mr White decides to get Peanut Jones’s mum involved, now she’s in terrible danger. Will Peanut Jones be able to save her mum and also stop Mr White?
My favourite character is definitely Rockwell as over the series you can see how much he has grown to become the character he is in the third book. At the start of the series, he was quite shy and scared but at the end of the series he got braver and used his knowledge to his advantage.
This book is funny and definitely one of my favourites. The illustrations are phenomenal and you can tell that he has put a lot of work into making the illustrations come to life with the different colours.
Scareground is a book filled with suspense and mystery. Set in Victorian Britain we meet Nancy, a girl, who was adopted 12 years ago by her adoptive parents, the Crumpets.
“A spine-chilling adventure full of danger and magic.”
Oliver (11)
She lives in Greenwich and has a best friend called Arthur Green – a child who was far more privileged than herself but who also has his own problems and fears.
However, Nancy’s whole life changes when a fair comes to town. Who are her real parents and why was she left abandoned in the park 12 years ago?
Determined to find out her past histories, Nancy becomes involved in a spine-chilling adventure full of danger and magic. A fantastic story from start to finish – a perfect book for a child aged 10 to 12 years who enjoys a spooky read.
Finding Wonder is a brilliant book and it should definitely be on your to-read list!
The story is about a girl called Roo. After the unexpected death of her father, she moves into a wee caravan with her Aunt Joni. Then something extraordinary happens, she discovers that before his death, her father bought a winning lottery ticket.
“My favourite character has to be Aunt Joni as she gives a warm, calming feel to the book.”
Aysha (12)
Deciding to spend the money on something she loves, when Roo sees that her favorite horse, Wonder Boy has gone on the market, she decides to buy the horse. However, before she can collect Wonder, the horse goes missing and within weeks, more famous horses go missing.
Roo and her Aunt Joni decide to investigate. Will they find Wonder Boy and the other horses?
I think this book is for ages 9+. I adored reading this mystery. My favourite character has to be Aunt Joni as she gives a warm, calming feel to the book.
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.
I think everyone should get to read this Fantabulous book (that is not a word I use often).
“I absolutely loved this book. It taught me so much about World War II and stuff you don’t get taught at school.”
Aysha (12)
Nancy suddenly finds herself working for a girl’s school in Stanbrook where she encounters a girl named Sidney about her age who has just moved here. They are positive that something is going on in the stables with Mr Armitage, the owner of the house and Miss Taylor, a sports car driver. As Nancy and Sidney explore the house, they discover even more secrets and shocking news. Can they figure out what they are planning before it is too late?
I absolutely loved this book. It taught me so much about World War II and stuff you don’t get taught at school.
This book includes World War II, Mystery + Detective.
I think this book is suitable for ages 11 upwards.
This book is Katie Kirby’s fourth book in the Lottie Brooks series and doesn’t disappoint. Filled with her usual humour and catastrophic storyline, it was a book which entertained me throughout.
“Lottie Brooks never fails to help me see that my life is far more stable than hers.”
Emily (13)
Lottie Brooks is a twelve-year old girl who stumbles through her teenage years with the help of her friends and hamsters. This time the novel is based around Lottie going on a residential trip to Camp Firefly with her class. Separated from her best friend, Lottie attempts to challenge herself by abseiling, raft building and walking along a sensory trail blindfolded. This story is full of friendship dramas with hilarious consequences. Lottie has to also navigate around the mean girls from a private school who are also staying at Camp Firefly as well as suffer the outcome from having her diary read out loud.
Lottie Brooks never fails to help me see that my life is far more stable than hers. A great book for 11 years and up if you like laugh out loud storylines. A must read for anyone about to embark on a school residential trip with their classmates.
Helen Peter’s novel, Friends and Traitors, is a thrilling and fast-paced story which kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
“Who will listen to a servant and a schoolgirl with an overactive imagination?…I found this story incredibly engaging. The plot was full of twists and turns as their adventure develops.”
Emily (13)
Set during World War Two in the 1940s, the main character is a teenage evacuee called Sydney whose boarding school is evacuated to a large stately house in the countryside. Sydney is a loner and makes friends with a maid called Nancy and together they unwittingly uncover a secret Nazi plan which would threaten the security of Britain and their chances of winning the war. But who will listen to a servant and a schoolgirl with an overactive imagination? And will the girls succeed in alerting the authorities to the revealed traitors top secret plot?
I found this story incredibly engaging. The plot was full of twists and turns as their adventure develops. I would recommend this book for 10-year-olds and up particularly if you enjoy war and mystery stories.
