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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dugald Steer1836285493|title=The Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles Volume 2Double Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Rob Keeley|rating=35
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Daniel and Beatrice Cook are studying Dragonology with Dr Ernest DrakeWill is a keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and are awaiting the hatching of their very own dragon egga supportive friend. But suddenly their parents have gone missingmost of all, he is an illness aspiring writer. English is killing dragons his favourite lesson at his school, Marlowe Park, and it all smells of evil dragonologist, Alexandra Gorynytchkaone at which he excels. Before they know itThis hasn't gone unnoticed by his headteacher, the brotherMrs Howarth, sister and new dragon chick have she has suggested to deliver Liber Draconis, the dragon diaryWill and his mum that he spends a couple of afternoons a week at a different school, and St Petroc's chalice to Dr Drake in Hong WeiStation Road, which may hold the secret to the curewhere his ability might be better extended. As the back cover reads: ''The future of dragon kind hangs in the balance!'' |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0763634255</amazonuk>
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn= 1836282028
|title=The Fighting Spirit
|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''Would you like to adopt a ghost?''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellRob Keeley|title=Dork DiariesChildish Spirits: 10th anniversary special edition
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I do like Around here, we're big fans of children's author Rob Keeley. He's a blurb to be accurate. So when I saw the back cover ball of this book state the obvious to mehappy positivity, he understands children, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid and he writes for girls!"their pleasure and enjoyment, I could rest assurednot to lecture or hector. I didn The ''Childish Spirits't relax fully, however, for I'd read [[Rodrick Rules (Diary series is one of his greatest achievements. It's a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney|the blue one]] sequence of those and found it ghost stories centring on Ellie, a bit feeblestalwart young girl who can cope with anything the spirit world throws at her, and [[Diary of Edward, a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney|spoiled lordling and the yellow one]] and found it a bit fabulous, so I couldn't guarantee any feminine, pink variant would be worth my time.first spirit Ellie encounters|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847387411</amazonuk>1783064617
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ceci JenkinsonMax Boucherat|title=Mirror Mischief (Oli and Skipjack's Tales The Last Life of Trouble) Lori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sid from We meet Lori on the pizza shop is on holiday in Africa and first evening she's sent presents got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her two best customerslonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, Oli Biggles and Skipjack Haynes. Oli's present that is to log on to Voxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a mirror and ithit in Lori's not just any mirror as it seems to have magical powersworld. It was perhaps unfortunate But first Lori has a tiny inkling that Vernon Surd, the mean maths teacher who punishes anyone who canthis stormy night doesn't do fractions find herself entirely on her own, and Slugger Stubbins, then she finds something even more spooky. For the school bully server she and her bestie and nobody else should be the ones at the wrong end able to enter shows signs of the magical powers but it seemed quite appropriate that the first should be transformed into a vulture tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in the second into game has been doctored – well, where is a blue-faced baboon.girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571249698</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anthony Horowitz Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Crocodile Tears (Alex Rider)Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fans Meet Kit. Like most of Anthony Horowitz' Alex Rider series have had the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a twoteam of warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-year wait for this installment of our young hero's escapades old, magical mazes, and race to the exit, perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they are not going to be disappointedgrant you along the way. He's fourteen year old now and not Unfortunately for Kit, the only is he being targeted by a hitman, thing he's also being pursued by a journalist who wants to tell seen of the nation all about latest race on the fact inn TV equivalent is that MI6 are using one team has been retired, eaten, and a new trio of his tender years to do their dirty workquestors is needed. The trouble is that Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he can't be positive that it was a sniper that caused has taken to the car he was in to skid off a Scottish road and land at goading from the bottom token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a Lochteam. And MI6 don't seem all that bothered about the journalist, unlessWhat chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that is, Alex might be willing to find some simple information from a GM crop research centre, in which case they might be able and how could he possibly hope to have a quiet word with the gentleman.succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406310484</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Suzy Brownlee James Sherwood Metts|title=The Littlest Detective in LondonPlanet Storyland|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''The Littlest Detective in London'' is Things have been a bit sticky for the first in this series of children's books by Suzy Brownlee Earthlings. AI and will soon be followed by the continuing story of Clementine Cordelia Birdautomation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they's exploits in Paris. The books are aimed at young girls, aged between around eight re paid to do and fourteenother tasks that took time to accomplish. Clemmy (Just as she is known) is nine years oldthey were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of other, but looks younger, due new ways to her being rather small. Howeverspend time, she makes up for this by being brave and inventivealong came an awful pandemic. We learn early on that her mother disappeared in mysterious circumstances Life was pretty much shut down and , along with it, all the books have the underlying theme of Clemmy trying to find her mum againmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0956122205</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gary BlackwoodTom Percival|title=Mysterious Messages - A History of Codes and CiphersThe Wrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=ThereWill's something utterly cool about codes and cipherslife is difficult, in a multitude of ways. It He is bullied because he has 's not just the spies with their secret worldwrong shoes', ithe has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn's t have enough money for even the mystery most basic of things like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an ostensibly random set of letters or picturesaccident. It Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will's being able to unravel them and see what they're hidinglife seems bleak in every direction. It's And yet, he still has a combination tiny amount of geeky riddle solving (and geeks are coolhope. He is good at art, so there) and uncovering clings to the unknown meanings. Gary Blackwood treats us to a history moments of codes and ciphersjoy when he is drawing, looking that feel like a light at their creation, the stories behind themend of a long, and how to crack themdark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0525479600</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Daniel Pennac1805141872|title=DogThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Dog was the runt of the litter. Unwanted. Half-drowned ''Seventeen banks and left to die on a rubbish tipjeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, you can imagine better starts in life for this scruffy-looking little puppy. But it's not so bad. Black Nose takes him under her wing and gives him is really a little of her milk safecracker! With police and a lot of her love. More importantlygangster boyfriend Al on their trail, she teaches him the rubbish tip ropes Miss Judson and gives him as much advice about doghood and ownerhood as she possibly can. And then... there's an accident. The last thing Black Nose says to Dog is ''If you Ben go to on the town, watch out run. But Al needs them for the carsone last job.. Dodge, little one, remember.''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406322741</amazonuk>}}
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=James FitzsimmonsChristopher Edge|title=The Hudbrax Hoard (Sabrax Clyke Series)Black Hole Cinema Club|rating=34
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Sabrax Clyke. Not allowed to sit around in the hole in the dry-stone wall he Lucas and his family call homefriends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, and admire a place that has the pretty girl whonickname of 'The Black Hole's just moved in next door. All big movie fans, hethey's persuaded by an urgent message from distant relatives re looking forward to go to their aid regarding some unmentionablelots of exciting films, and many, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, awful predicamentand they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. His journey there and But as they lurch from one film genre to the task itself will involve metal dragons, odd standing stonesnext, can they figure out what on earth-shattering movementsis going on? Will they ever get back to the cinema, and unearthly nasties.to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0955644216</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jane RayAdam Stower|title=Snow WhiteMurray and Bun|rating=34.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers |summary=Jane Ray Murray is supposed to be a humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has taken been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the classic fairy tale of Snow Whitecatflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the dwarves and the wicked queenregular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventure and created beautiful three-dimensional tableauxwhiffs. It This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|isbn=0008561249}}{{Frontpage|author=Alex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Eli is a much-loved story that everyone is familiar busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting withhim, and this in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a great opportunity generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to rediscover the titular race, a classic globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in an interesting new waythe company of a magical beast. This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406311839</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Children's TrustHelen Cooper|title=The Walrus and Taming of the Carpenter and Other Favourite PoemsCat
|rating=3.5
|genre=Children's Rhymes and VerseConfident Readers|summary=CelebritiesOnce again, including [[:Category:Richard Hammond|Richard Hammond]]mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, Paul Oup against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you'Gradyre seeing a connection, Sienna Millerthey live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, McFly scorned and Lorraine Kelly, have chosen their favourite poems if you must, mous-tracised, for this anthologythe way his habits don't match the other mice he lives with. All proceeds They nibble up paper wrapping from the book go to [http://wwwcheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the visuals on it.thechildrenstrust And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and cast out.org.uk/ The Children It's Trust]almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. It's a fantastic charity This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, who help disabled childrenthough, and I urge you as all the others had the chance to buy a copy of ''The Walrus and half-inch some cheese while the Carpenter'' to support themcat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140632650X</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tanya LandmanLauren St John|title=The Head is Dead (Poppy Fields Murder Mystery) Finding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet, once again, Poppy FieldsRoo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. When tasked Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by the police banging on her door to create a murder mystery experience for a school fete she is only surprised tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to find the headmistress - a newly employed battleaxe that no-one seems corner shop to like - buy a real-life victim of an assassinlottery ticket. And there is When asked what other family she has, she can only a school field full name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of suspects. Can But she has no one else, and so off she goes to live with her best friendunreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for Roo, brainbox Georgeas when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, solve it breaks down in the day middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|isbn=0571376169}}{{Frontpage|author=Adam Baron and make Benji Davies|title=Oscar's Lion|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the staff room bully that ruined a safer place birthday party for Oscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to be? school and it can get him out of a problem. And where does it's wonderful to have around the invisible sheepdog come in?!house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the rules, and so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406314633</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael MorpurgoJudith Eagle|title=The Kites are FlyingStolen Songbird|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Said lives on the West Bank. He herds his familyCaro's sheepmother, spends a lot of time talking in his head world-famous whistler, has failed to his absent brother Mahmoudreturn home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, and he makes a great many kitesRonnie, which he sends across the wall is having to go up North to the girl in the blue headscarf take care of her sister who lives in the occupiers' settlementsis unwell. What Said doesn't do So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, is talk out loudsomeone Caro has heard her mother despises, even she feels frustrated and confused and worried. All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to his new friend Mister Max. Max is a Western journalist who wants practise her gymnastics are brought to make a documentary about how the Palestinian/Israeli conflict affects ordinary people on both sides of the wall. Max halt whilst she is entranced by Saidstuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, and his dozens of kitesalong with an orphan boy, Albie, all bearing the message salaam or peacewho is living there too. He can see that Said has But she soon finds herself caught up in a dreammystery, but heas she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's not sure what it isold suitcase, and all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Will Is the dream come true before Max painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to leaveCaro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too? |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406317985</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tanya LandmanTania Unsworth|title=Dying to be Famous (Poppy Fields Murder Mystery)Nowhere Island
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Poppy Fields - Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a home for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an inquisitive young lassanonymous car, keen and lets it ride him to his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on exploring her world - in an island between the two directions of a motorway, a slightly different way place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to her geekyprovide for their safety and seclusion. Them, and a mute girl also finding a home there, walking-encyclopaedia of albeit so much more successfully. Over a best friendfew weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or if this is one place where life as we would want it just would not work…|isbn=1804540080}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Peters|title=Friends and Traitors|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=England, GrahamWW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. So keen One is she Nancy, destined to explore be in service all her life it seems, like the phenomenon that female generations before her. The other is the latest seen-everywhereSidney, snappeda girl from a hoity-attoity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-all-hours celebritypaths. The girls are chalk and cheese, and if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something is amiss, she makes and first separately and then in combination they realise the pair Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of them go secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and not only that, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|isbn=1788004647}}{{Frontpage|author=Jamie Littler|title=Arkspire|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to audition for bit parts be chalk and cheese. Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the Christmas production religious districts of The Wizard Arkspire, perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of Oz the star is starting Watcher, the closest to rehearsea ruler the district has, and one of the five major victors in said earlier war. Unfortunately for her, she apparently hasn't noticed she's Being trained in the third book magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the whole family. But in a series of young reader murder mysteriesfinding something oddly magical, and deaths more unexpected than having a house land on you Juniper might just be on the playbill...able to gain some power of her own – for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406314625</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Rosen024162343X|title=A To Z - The Best Children's Poetry From Agard To ZephaniahStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Children's Rhymes and VerseNon-Fiction|summary=Michael Rosen has picked I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Not too long after the best modern childrenend of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the British army's poetrysuccesses (and occasional failures, from John Agard through but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' as want to Benjamin Zephaniah. It stemmed from Rosen performing dispute what right the army had to be there in schools and libraries with many of the poetsfirst place. Looking back, and as childrenI still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the maturity to approach 'the problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's poetry anthologies go, it's amongst the very best'Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141324503</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philippa Pearce and Helen CraigThiago de Moraes|title=A Finder's MagicOld Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Till (that's short for Tillawn) has lost his dog Bess Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and he has no idea how headventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's going to find being told that by her until a mysterious stranger appearsone-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Mr Finder interviews various witnessesSuddenly, including practically everything electronic stops working – a catpower-out, a moleeven of electric cars, a heron and Miss Mousey. Ithits not just the town the school's not what Miss Mousey says in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that gives Mr Finder powers the vital clue as to Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened to Bess, but – the ancient Gods have taken the sketch power of power from us. And so she made of begins her epic quest, to gather all the riverbank at people that can steal it back – namely the time characters from myth that Bess went missing. There's a lot of magic have past form in stealing from the quest to find BessGods, ie the semi-deities, giants, but it's all very confusing for Till half-gods and at one point he even doubts so on known as the motives of Mr Findertricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406319821</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emily BearnHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas AdventureFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I do look forward to a good children's story, and having read Tumtum and Nutmeg's [[The Pirates' Treasure (Tumtum and Nutmeg) Last Bear by Emily BearnHannah Gold|previous adventure on a pirate shipLast time]] I was particularly looking forward to this one. It's Christmas, and our two friendly little mice have April had been working hardon Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, preparing delicious treats and temptations ready for Christmas Dayfinding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. One evening they go upstairs to check Back home, things on the children who live in their housedomestic and family front are a bit advanced, Arthur and Lucybut not perfect for her, and find their letters to Father Christmas. Last year so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the children didn't get any presents because their chimney islands Bear was blocked up and Father Christmas couldn't get inlast left on. They've asked for the same presents again this year, hopeful that this year Father Christmas will manage to find For a way through even though their father refuses to unblock the chimney for fear of drafts. Tumtum and Nutmeg are worried anyway that the letter won't reach Father Christmas in time, bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and that the children will be disappointed once againwounded. They decide to take matters into their own hands and set off to visit the terrifying Baron Toymouse in Toy Kingdom Desperate to see if make sure he can help. However, with clockwork cats to contend with's OK, she and the capture of Tumtum by the evil Baron, Christmas could turn out her father return to be an even bigger disaster than they'd thought...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405250267</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Michael Grant|title=Hunger|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=The kids of Perdido Beach are still within the FAYZ, a barrier erected by Little Pete - no-one knows how - when the nuclear plant went into meltdown. An uneasy truce between Sam's tribe of Perdido Beach kids Arctic and Caine's Coates Academy kids is beginning to waver. The food is running out and the Darkness has its claws hope that in all those it's encountered. Caine himself is reduced to delirium by the voice a world of the Darkness in his head very white and Lana the healer knows it's inevitable that very dangerous things, she too will answer its call. Sam is struggling to keep any form of order. As more can find one specific white and more kids begin to develop special powers dangerous thing – and that the hunger bites deeper into everyone's bellies, it's inevitable that conflict will break out. And it does, in some very unpleasant waysfriendship can continue. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405251522</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sam OsmanSimon Fox|title=QuicksilverDeadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''Quicksilver'' Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the story of Wolfieforce, Tala and Zi'ibthen suddenly rings Archie, three ordinary children demanding he fetch something from three different continentsa secret place, and join him on the run. They have never metget together, until a strange chain but barely begin to smell the whiff of events involving gun-Southern trains when the father is arrested, leaving Archie on the late express to Brighton, toting gangs and eccentric old men means they all end up in Thornham, a London suburb. They soon realise they are connected: they all have green eyes with golden flecks and a missing parent. But tin his father was it fatedetermined to keep away from his colleagues, chance or and the ley lines that encompass the earth that brought them together? Before you know it they're solving clues and fulfilling bearer of a one thousand year old prophecy. But all they want to do is find their parentswhole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407105736</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joanne Dahme Cath Howe|title=Tombstone TeaMy Life on Fire|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Having recently moved to Ren's family home is destroyed in a new schoolfire. She, in a new townher parents, Jessie is struggling to make friends and fit inher little brother lose everything. She is afraid to show these new people who she really is doesn't have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick- in knacks from her old school she often found she had 'blank' momentscupboard, when and now she could hear voices and is living at her grandmother'see' people who werens house where they can't really theretouch anything, or do anything, or even eat the foods they normally eat. In desperation When she goes back to become part of a 'group' school she accepts discovers that the dare of class are doing a group special art project, creating boxes of girls their lives, to spend the night in the Cemetery display things that are important to them and collect some gravestone rubbings to prove she was thereshow who they are as a person. Once there she bumps into Paul, the handsome caretakerBut Ren has nothing to put in a box, and so she finds herself in the middle of a strange evening whenstarting to steal things. Small things, Paul claimsthings that people might not really miss, local actors get together to rehearse for something called the 'Tombstone Tea', a play in which not when they portray those buried in the graveyardhave so much already...there's something strange though about these actors and Jessie soon But what will happen to her if someone finds herself caught up in a chilling drama.out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0762437189</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David MillerRob Keeley|title=Sea Wolf|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Meet Hanna, Ned The Boy Who Disappeared and Jik. They're on an unlikely quest to recover the world's biggest and richest pearl, from the hiding place Jik alone knows of, when there's a problem in the shape of a tornado. They're thrown from the craft they're on, Ned disappears - and then there were two. Hanna and Jik get rescued by the occupants of a horrid, piratical craft, engaged in very environmentally-unfriendly fishing. Jik gets overworked and underfed, and then there was one... Only one - Hanna - with the spunk, brainpower and energy to keep her spirit together, and try and get one up on the Maestro who commands the boat.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192729020</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Katie Davies|title=The Great Hamster MassacreOther Stories|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Anna. Rather than write the usual staid what-I-did-in-my-holidays report for school, she Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is taking back with a return to the time to tell short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us about her pet issues over the summer, from recalling the Old Cat, and the horror that is the New Cat, to the New Rabbit down the road, and her own demands for a hamster or two. There are family secrets to be revealed relating to hamsters of oldeleven new tales, parents each as fun to argue with, and finally a trip to the pet shop - and that's just the start of Anna's troublesread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847385958</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Josh LaceyLaura Noakes|title=Two Tigers on Cosima Unfortunate Steals a StringStar
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ben's not too keen Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to just be sharing his bedroom named by the number they correspond to in the ledger, and they're all Unfortunates – young people with his half-brotherdisabilities, Frankuncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But you don't have Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, and unique in having no known family in the hero of outside world. During a detective adventure such as this book daring escapade to know that as Frank's mother has vanished steal some posh cakes from the face of kitchen one afternoon, she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the Earth, Ben will let it lie - girls for a whilehis Institute. Nor is But why, and what does that body entail? And could it too surprising possibly bring Cos closer to see the four Misfitz together, on another case, as they go on the hunt for the missing woman.past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407109782</amazonuk>0008579059
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Patrick O'BrienAlice M Ross|title=You Are The First Kid On MarsNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Things are pretty grim for PickyAt last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She is thirteen years old, also knows she should be free from worries about being bullied at schoolfound out, and because she has the ability to spend her weekends helping her singleleave this world, working mum and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to take care enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the buildings are generally empty of her little brother humans and her senile grandmotherripe for plunder. One eveningWith eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at her Gran's house, she goes up into the attic and tries on an old dress that she finds inside an old chest. shop? The dress turns out to be magic, and she suddenly finds herself back in 17th Century LondonWell yes, struggling with a strange man who is calling her 'Amelia' and is trying to kill her. Picky ends up embroiled in Amelia's 17th century life as she tries to find out the truth of who is attempting to murder heranswer, at but the same time as trying to avoid arousing suspicion with her strange behaviour whenever she returns to the present day.fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0956122280</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It This story is a truth universally acknowledged that school summer holidays are only enjoyable if you want to enjoy summeranother excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, in the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. Greg here doesn't want to notice itThey are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and would prefer to spend Raffy is there with his days curtains drawnmum, face glued to late night TV or and they are living together as a computer gamefamily. They have grown up swimming in the cove, hand either clicking away roaming through the trees, completely at a controller or shovelling in snacksone with all of the nature around the house and loving every inch of the place. The last thing he needs, thenBut now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his mother, on other two brothers to sell the property to a developer as it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where they'family togethernessre going to live, but if they'' tripll even be together, and on a budget, with bad ideas of what Greg should if Ravenwood itself will be doing insteadtorn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141327650</amazonuk>0571348785
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rick YanceyRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=The MonstrumologistSecret Beast Club: The Terror BeneathUnicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In late 19th century AmericaJayden's nose is forever in a book, young Will Henry has been which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the apprentice phoenixes and unicorns of the sternworld, for example. Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, forbidding Dr Warthrop since where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the death outside world of Hackney, London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of his parentsthose mythological creatures are real, who were also employed by including the doctorone Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. The twelve year old boy has seen many things in his service to crew of the monstrumologist - boat, including a specialist in monsters - but nothing can prepare him for living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the fateful day when an elderly grave robber brings rare critters – and the doctor kids unknowingly have the twin corpses of magical sight needed to join in. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a young girl painting, and become saviours of the headless creature with fangs in his chest who had tried to feast on her.unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184738546X</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=B09XWSXSKY|title=Matt Maestro Orpheus and Davethe World Clock|titleauthor=Yuck's Robotic BottomRobert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It's concerned me for a while that it's relatively easy to pick up early readers for girls – princessesFrederick (or Fred, magic soft toysbut never Freddy, mermaids and pets abound – but thereplease) couldn's t sleep. A tune, rather like the ticking of a much smaller choice for boysclock was playing over and over in his mind. Ithappened every time he came to visit his grandfather. He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's important too with early readers that the content is ''interesting'' ten now and reading becomes more than just something which you ''have'all those old clocks don' t appeal to do at school and moves into being fun. Matt and Dave have found the answer in Yuckhim anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847382991</amazonuk>}}
}}
