Tag: review crew niamh

Glitter Boy by Ian Eagleton, reviewed by Niamh (10)

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.

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.

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Taking the Blame by Louie Stowell, reviewed by Niamh (10)

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Taking the Blame is Louie Stowell’s second book in the series. Norse trickster, Loki, was previously sent to Midgard\Earth in the form of an 11-year-old boy to do good deeds or face punishment by Odin. 

In the body of a mortal child, he is cruelly forced to go to school, while Heimdall and Hyrrokkin pretend to be his parents and Thor his twin brother. Loki being Loki, he always somehow finds a way to cause trouble even without trying!

I love this book so much! It’s hilarious and is packed with fun adventures and a good twist at the end. I liked the bit where Loki turned himself, Thor and two mortal friends into horses and started a horse rampage!

Niamh (10)

Despite having done a good deed in the last book, in the second instalment Loki must stay on Earth to protect it from fearsome Frost Giants and clear his name after Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, goes missing…

The book is in the form of Loki’s diary and is filled with lots of funny illustrations and sometimes the diary talks back and detects when Loki is lying! 

I love this book so much! It’s hilarious and is packed with fun adventures and a good twist at the end. I liked the bit where Loki turned himself, Thor and two mortal friends into horses and when they started a horse rampage! 

It also made me laugh when Loki explained the ‘birthday rituals’, which includes Thor spitting on a burning cake and a game where you win prices for stopping dancing, where he says: “but my dancing is EXCELLENT. Why would I stop?”.

My friend Harrison loves the Loki books too and he says his favourite part was when Loki tries to start a spitting contest to get spit for a spell to test if someone was a giant.

I would recommend the Loki books to anyone who likes Norse mythology, funny adventures, lots of mischief and hilarious illustrations. I can’t wait for the third book!

Perfect for fans of: Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to be Good by Louie Stowell; and Who Let the Gods Out series by Maz Evans.

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.

MagicBorn by Peter Bunzl, reviewed by Niamh

Magicborn is the latest novel by Peter Bunzl, who is the genius behind the Cogheart book series.

Taking place in 1726, 12-year-old Tempest lives with her adopted fathers, Prosper and Marino, in Ferry Keeper’s Cottage. Saved from nearly drowning, she doesn’t remember about her past life, and why she can understand her robin friend, Coriel, and nobody else can. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves magic, adventure and mystery. I’ve already recommended it to one of my friends so we can talk about it!

Niamh

She longs to know who her mother is. All Tempest has from her is a bone carved into the shape of a cloud she wears around her neck, which has an engraved message ‘From your mother’. 

Tempest’s life changes when she is made to take the mysterious Lord Hawthorn and his apprentice across the water to an island in search of a wild boy that can change into a wolf… Expect a magical adventure that travels from Kensington Palace to the fairy realm.

I loved the characters in Magicborn, especially the robin Coriel and how she affectionately ends her sentences with bird names, such as “Goodnight, little dunlin.” The spells were really exciting in the book, and I liked how it swapped between present and past events, revealing Tempest’s story. It would be amazing if there was a sequel and it would work really well as a film or TV series.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves magic, adventure and mystery. I’ve already recommended it to one of my friends so we can talk about it! I’m planning to dress up as Tempest for the next World Book Day! I even have a robin toy to be Coriel!

Tempest and Coriel, by Niamh

Perfect for fans of: The Cogheart novels by Peter Bunzl; Sophie Anderson’s The Girl Who Speaks Bear and The Castle of Tangled Magic; and The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.