It all starts with a girl called Ailsa Craig who was late for everything! She had very poor time management and was often caught daydreaming.
“I really loved the idea of the book. In fact, I’ve never read a book like it.”
Aysha (12)
Entirely different to Ailsa was a girl called Credenza who had everything prepared, it was almost like she had an extra hour. What would happen if she did?
Imagine being able to walk into your shed, a portal to Old Edinburgh and get an extra hour to complete tasks, yet arrive back in the real world at the time you left.
I really loved the idea of the book. In fact, I’ve never read a book like it. It kept me guessing about what would happen right until the very end which I really enjoyed.
Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend is the first book in a new exciting, fantasy middle grade series by Lizzie Huxley-Jones. They most recently were a contributor to the Being an Ally World Book Day Title in 2023. The bright and beautiful cover is drawn by the award-winning author and illustrator Harry Woodgate.
The book follows Vivi Conway, an autistic girl with a passion for Welsh mythology. Not only does she have to deal with moving with her mums away from their rural home in Wales to loud, busy London, she’s got a magical destiny to fulfil, a cranky talking ghost dog that’s come into her life and a plague of mysterious creatures to battle!
After having bullying problems in the past, she must learn to trust her newfound friends and work alongside them to defeat an evil threat to our world…
“It deals amazingly with how it feels to be autistic while still trying to save the world.”
Niamh (10)
Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend has all the ingredients for the perfect story. It has non-stop excitement, fascinating legends from Welsh mythology, warm and loveable characters that you’d love to know in real-life, and it ends on a cliff-hanger. It also features LGBTQ+ and disabled characters, and deals amazingly with how it feels to be autistic while still trying to save the world.
Lizzie Huxley-Jones is non-binary and autistic and they draw from their own experiences in the book, including having been bullied. I really liked that the character Dara is introduced by their pronoun ‘they/them’ immediately without any explanation.
I loved the part in the science museum because it was really exciting! After getting to know all the characters, I grew to love them all, especially the ghost dog Gelert!
I couldn’t put the book down and read it all in one weekend! Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend is one of the best books I’ve ever read!!! I’m so glad it’s a series of books, as I can’t wait for the next one to come out!
Perfect for fans of: Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll; Like a Curse by Elle McNicoll; and Jayben and the Golden Torch by Thomas Leeds.
Maudie and Jake’s family is falling apart, with their mum struggling with her grief after the passing of their dad. One night she vanishes with only a note left behind, and no news of her whereabouts. When their aunt puts Jake in care, Maudie goes to desperate lengths to try to reunite her family, and she kidnaps Jake, taking him with her to Cornwall, hoping that when her Mum learns of the current situation, she will return.
“…a bond between brother and sister that is so beautiful and raw that it is almost tangible.”
Farrah (16)
What unfolds is a powerful and moving tale of grief, healing, finding oneself, first love and familial bonds.
‘What The World Doesn’t See’ is a book that will stick with you long after you turn the last page, with very well written autism representation, and a bond between brother and sister that is so beautiful and raw that it is almost tangible.
The author Mel Darbon explains in the author’s note that she wrote from a very personal experience of having a sibling on the autism spectrum. Darbon highlights that whilst Jake’s experience (as well as that of her own brother’s) does not speak for the experience of everyone with autism, the novel clearly displays common obstacles faced by those like Jake, stemming predominately from people’s ignorance. Darbon’s writing, especially when we get to read from Jake’s point of view (since the story is told in dual narrative, allowing us to see life through the eyes of both Maudie and Jake) was very impactful.
Ultimately, this book follows the physical and emotional journey of Maudie and Jake (and their mother), as they navigate their way through grief and towards healing, as well as the relationship between the siblings evolving as Maudie recognises what Jake is capable of, and allows him more freedom and opportunity to express his own independence.
Read this book if you want to learn how to be a true villain! This story is about a bunch of mischievous misfits who dream of being a villainous villain!
My favourite character is…
Mona and Sheila, as they were both favourable characters; Sheila plays pranks and jokes on people and Mona wants to be the leader of the pack although in the end she becomes the truest friend.
My favourite part is when…
They all become besets of friends and Bram feels that he has a place there.
I think Witchstorm is an amazing book that everyone should read!
It has good and bad witches, magical places, friendships and a treasure hunt.
“I absolutely loved this book . . . It made me desperate to read another Witch book.”
Aysha (12)
One day Will awakes to find his Ma missing. Curiously, he looks around and discovers Agatha’s amulet. Agatha is a witch that died a thousand years ago but before she died she made stormstone that controls all the elements. Will meets a witch called Magma, will she help Will find his Ma?
I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was well thought out and detailed and the illustrations were fantastic. It made me desperate to read another Witch book. I can’t choose which character was my favourite but it would be between Will and Aunt Hera. I loved how Aunt Hera loved sword fighting and was a really fun aunt to be around. For Will, I loved his skills in solving mysteries and I was very impressed with how dedicated he was in his search for his Ma.
The plot in Jamie is well written and altogether very good. Jamie is on the last stretch of year six and has not really thought about secondary schools. But as they get closer to leaving, they realise the only two options are for male and female genders only.
If you want an uplifting and feel-good book, Jamie is the one for you.
Rosa (11)
With the decision coming nearer and nearer they must take matters into their own hands and go on a great adventure that not only changes their life, but many other non-binary kids who are in the same situation as them too.
Jamie is an easy one to read in two sittings it’s so fabulous. If you want an uplifting and feel-good book, Jamie is the one for you. Their friends and family (especially Olly) are funny and interesting. This brilliant read will make you laugh, cry and cheer, pure brilliance.
Jamie is for everyone, but its especially good for tween/teen readers. It was amazing from start to finish, well done L.D Lapinski!
Glitter Boy is Ian Eagleton’s amazing middle-grade book debut, after previously publishing the picture books Nen and the Lonely Fisherman, Violet’s Tempest, and The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince. It’s also got a fantastic cover design by illustrator Melissa Chaib.
The story follows the main character James on his journey to overcoming multiple challenges that include homophobic school bullies, falling out with friends, coping with grief, and dealing with the separation of his parents.
Glitter Boy is one of the best books I’ve ever read… you want nothing to dim his light!
Niamh (10)
A fabulous, sparkly and aspiring future song writer for his music idol Mariah Carey, James starts to lose his sparkle and shine when things start to become hard to cope with on his own.
Glitter Boy is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Even though it deals with important and serious issues, it doesn’t feel like a depressing and sad book. James is such a fantastic, likeable and relatable character that you feel like you want nothing to dim his light!
I loved James’s poetry throughout the book (worthy of any Mariah song!) and there were many funny moments like the nan/ham poem and the school jumper sniffing incident!
It’s got loads of brilliant information about famous LGBTQ+ people throughout history, such as the activist Marsha P Johnson, and there’s even a quiz at the end!
James’s experiences are based on the bullying the author, Ian Eagleton, went through himself at school and his book highlights how using the word gay in a negative way is absolutely unacceptable. The story overall celebrates that everyone should be allowed to be themselves and that kindness should always win over hate.
I recommend that all schools should be reading Glitter Boy in class, and I’m going to suggest it to my own teacher. Although I’m not really a Mariah fan, it feels right to end on that I’m ‘Obsessed’ with this book and Ian Eagleton you are my ‘Hero’.
Perfect for fans of: Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean; The Secret Sunshine Project by Benjamin Dean; The Last Fire Fox by Lee Newbery; and Jamie by L. D. Lapinski.
Hide and secrets is an amazing and thought-provoking read that has you on the edge of your seat —permanently — brimming with excitement to see what happens next. The more you read, the more the characters grow on you until you feel like you’ve been friends since birth.
“An uncountable amount of twists and turns that keep you turning the pages at the speed of light.”
Rosa (11)
Cat is a fourteen-year-old girl who loves dress making and is having a hard time with her mum. Her sister Bess has not spoken since the devastating loss of their father. Bit by bit Cat and Tyler, who is staying at the end of her garden, uncover the lost pieces of the puzzle and go on a life-changing trip to learn more about her past and to change her future in the process.
This amazing book has great characters and description all the way through. Sophie McKenzie has really outdone herself on this one! As well as that, it also has an uncountable amount of twists and turns that keep you turning the pages at the speed of light. Not to exaggerate. Sophie McKenzie has really outdone herself on this one!
This book fits neatly in the 10-11-12 age category but anyone (with adult permission) can. It starts with a text message and ends with a story…who knows what could happen in between.
Lily, who has deep-rooted emotional problems, has an outburst which leads to expulsion from her school. In a desperate attempt at helping Lily and saving their family, her mother accepts a research job on a deep sea, mining rig (Deephaven), with Lily in tow.
The setting of Deephaven was unlike anything I have ever read before. It was an incredible backdrop for this story, providing a creepy, stark surrounding, to amplify the tensions and conflicts, as well as Lily’s internal battles.
Farrah (16)
Initially Lily feels just as unbalanced and isolated there as she did topside, but as the story unfolds, and she discovers more about her surroundings (and the suspicious nature of certain events), Lily gradually grows and adapts to her new-found environment. She begins investigating the death of a scientist on the rig, suspecting that his death is not all it seems, and discovers many enlightening things. With a blossoming friendship under her belt, Lily goes on a multitude of deep-sea exploits, ending up in several death-defying circumstances, as she attempts to untangle a web of mysteries, lies, and fascinating scientific discoveries.
The setting of Deephaven was unlike anything I have ever read before. It was an incredible backdrop for this story, providing a creepy, stark surrounding, to amplify the tensions and conflicts, as well as Lily’s internal battles. The worldbuilding was expertly crafted, and you will be able vividly picture all of the action in your mind’s eye.
Lily is a compelling main character, whose growth you root for, as you follow along with her identity- asserting journey. This fast-paced sci-fi thriller will have you enthralled, and on the edge of your seat, as you venture to the depths of the sea, with both villainous and courageous characters alike.
I would recommend this novel to fans of ensnaring mysteries, as well as lovers of sci-fi and anything that will question and engage your mind.
