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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn= 1836285493|title=The Double Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Guy Bass Rob Keeley|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Will is a keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and Pete Williamsona supportive friend. But most of all, he is an aspiring writer. English is his favourite lesson at his school, Marlowe Park, and one at which he excels. This hasn't gone unnoticed by his headteacher, Mrs Howarth, and she has suggested to Will and his mum that he spends a couple of afternoons a week at a different school, Station Road, where his ability might be better extended.}}{{Frontpage|isbn= 1836282028|title=The Beast of Grubbers Nubbin (Stitch Head)Fighting Spirit|author=Rob Keeley

|summary=It's all wrong in Castle Grotteskew'Would you like to adopt a ghost?'' ''Young spirit, born 1887, seeks kind home to haunt. The very walls should be terrified Gentleman by the monsters the Mad Professor in the basement is creating, out of various body parts birth. Good company. Gets on well with other children. Jokes and different animalsshocks a speciality. But no'' ''If interested, place outside your home three twigs, in the clamour shape of noisean arrow, the unlikely activities pointing to your front door...'' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is celebrating a decade of his wonderfully entertaining [[Rob Keeley's ''Spirits'' series in Chronological Order|Spirits]] series with a new adventure that is both a reboot and horrendous appetite for food come from something else entirely – a hundred rescued human orphanscontinuation. That appetite needs feeding – so it’s perfect timing for the village below the castleJust like Doctor Who, Edward Fitzberranger, Grubbers Nubbinour incorrigible Victorian ghost boy, to have their annual podge-a-thon feasthas some new companions. But when Stitch Head Ruby and his human friend Arabella go Jayden respond to purloin some human food – there being no decent alternative – they're horrified to find something even worse than this intriguing advertisement and Edward, who has broken the monsters trapped rules as usual and absconded from his manor house home, is adopted by them and takes up residence in the castle above…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847156096</amazonuk>.... a wardrobe!

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cassie BeasleyRob Keeley|title=Circus MirandusChildish Spirits: 10th anniversary special edition|rating=54

|summary=Micah is an orphan who has been raised by his grandfatherAround here, but now Micah’s grandfather is dyingwe're big fans of children's author Rob Keeley. And if that wasn’t bad enough, his horrible great aunt has arrived to take care He's a ball of himhappy positivity, cutting their limited time together further. But don’t worry all hope is not lost. When grandpa Ephraim was a child he visited the mysterious Circus Mirandusunderstands children, where and he was promised a miracle by the miraculous Man Who Bends Lightwrites for their pleasure and enjoyment, not to lecture or hector. All Micah has to do  The ''Childish Spirits'' series is get a message to the Light Bender and one of his grandfather can have his miraclegreatest achievements. With the help It's a sequence of Jenny Mendoza (the smartest ghost stories centring on Ellie, a stalwart young girl in who can cope with anything the class)spirit world throws at her, Micah sets his sights on the circusand Edward, a task that requires unconditional love spoiled lordling and faith. Aunt Gertrudis is wrong, Ephraim’s stories aren’t just stories ... are they?the first spirit Ellie encounters|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1101892315</amazonuk>1783064617

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Owen DaveyMax Boucherat|title=Mad About MonkeysThe Last Life of Lori Mills|rating= 4.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Of all We meet Lori on the many millions of animals on our planet that deserve a large format hardback nonfirst evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-fiction bookbreaking eleven year old, I guess monkeys are one of the ideal places to starton her lonesome. They areWhat could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, of courseshe has one main intention, our distant cousinsand that is to log on to Voxminer, with the ancestor we have world-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in common with them walking around our Lori's world within the past thirty million years. They have But first Lori has a large range across tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and then she finds something even more spooky. For the planet, they have over 250 variant species, server she and her bestie and they have a lot nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of interesting facts and details regarding their social life, their diettampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, their diversity and their potential future her safe place in the game has been doctored – all of which makes this an interesting read whatever your species bias may be.well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1909263575</amazonuk>0008666482

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Josh LaceyKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Dragonsitter TroubleDungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|summary=You don't need me to tell you what it's like when your uncle owns two dragonsMeet Kit. He's Like most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the pig-headed type who has sport where a mummy team of warrior, mage and baby dragon living with himhealer enter specially prepared, century-old, and he must live on a remote island off Scotlandmagical mazes, and he must spend half race to the time hunting exit, perhaps bothering with the world of dragons in Outer Mongolia, treasure or searching for the yeti, so that trouble starts from big bad and the very moment points they grant you arrive with your mother and sister to housesit along the way. Unfortunately for him – there's no foodKit, the dragons are pooing everywhere and you canonly thing he't even use s seen of the front door properly because he didn't leave latest race on the key in an obvious placeinn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, eaten, and a new trio of questors is needed. StillPossibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, that's nothing compared he has taken to when the neighbouring farmer gets his guns trained on goading from the dragons when he accuses them token bully of stealing his sheep… world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. Or What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, and how about when your big birthday party is herecould he possibly hope to succeed?|isbn=1839945184}}{{Frontpage|author=James Sherwood Metts|title=Planet Storyland|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Things have been a bit sticky for the Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and the magician is booked – other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and the two dragons come starting to think of other, new ways to stayspend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, because somebody else along with it, all the talent to care for them has the hots for your mother…many daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783442972</amazonuk>1736128426

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jo SimmonsTom Percival|title=Super-Loud SamThe Wrong Shoes

|summary=Sam Will's life is loud. Not just loud as in the loudest lad in classdifficult, and not just loud as in loudest fire alarm in schoola multitude of ways. No, Sam He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can'LOUDt work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, and his dad can'' loudt work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. Stop traffic Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will's life seems bleak in the streets loudevery direction. Scary loudAnd yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. Loud enough He is good at art, and clings to make passing birds forget how to fly loud. There's little rhyme or reason for thisthe moments of joy when he is drawing, just as there is no real reason why his best friend Nina does nothing but knit all that feel like a light at the livelong dayend of a long, even when walking to schooldark tunnel.|isbn=1398527122}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1805141872|title=The Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=4. It5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=''s just something you Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have to acceptbeen raided. But what's this? Their favourite The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher has vanished, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and a new Ben go on the run. But Al needs them for one has taken his place – Mrs Mannlast job... She's ridiculous with her weirdly large hands' Goodness me, that Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her huge cardigan and even huger beehive hairdomanage to get mixed up with a bad 'un like Al? We'll find out. The biggest thing about Luckily for Miss Judson, the pupil who discovers her though terrible secret is Ben, the threat she poses – that son of eternal silence in her lessons. How can Sam possibly continue at schoola famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, when even him clearing his throat and who thinks Miss Judson is like a plane crash in your ears?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407152300</amazonuk>worth saving

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Christopher MyersEdge|title=My PenBlack Hole Cinema Club

|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=How long does it take you Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, they're looking forward to read a picture book? lots of exciting films, and many, many snacks! DonHowever, as the movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't worry counting even imagine. But as they lurch from one film genre to the number of wordsnext, forget totalling can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the pagescinema, and to their real lives?|isbn=1839942738}}{{Frontpage|author=Adam Stower|title=Murray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers |summary=Murray is supposed to be a humble, tidy and ignore how many times you may return friendly cat, one who is able to bring it off sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the shelftwo. What matters But he's a bad magician's cat, so much more than how long it takes to scan his favourite bun has been turned into a page hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they both use can be how long it lies in chuck them out, not into the memoryregular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventure and what it can lead towhiffs. This exampletime round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, for instanceone much bigger than Murray was, can to be perused in secondshonest, but creates a vivid he's turned up and long-standing mental image, and will if it hits the right buttons lead he'll have to untold future activities. You can't judge something like this on the value of time.do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1423103718</amazonuk>0008561249

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cath Senker Alex Bell and Melvyn EvansTim McDonagh|title=Ancient Egypt in 30 Seconds: 30 Awesome Topics for Pharaoh Fanatics Explained in Half a Minute (Children's 30 Second)The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=EgyptEli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. ItEli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's up there with dinosaursparents were both lost to the titular race, space travel and not much else that can hold a young child throughout globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the length company of their school careera magical beast. Considering This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a lot 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.|isbn=0571382231}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Cooper|title=The Taming of them will grow the Cat|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up declaring against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you're seeing a connection, they have no interest live ina cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, or even a hatred forscorned and, historyif you must, it all was relevant a longmous-tracised, long time ago for the way his habits don't match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and with Carter's finding of King Tut's tomb closing in makes stories based on the visuals on its centenary it won't go away yet. There are indeed books And that solely concern themselves with the history of our love affair with Egyptstory-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and cast out. But I guess it does boil down It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to it being introduced by a fine teacherkeep themselves alive. Whether this latest book will supplant This makes Brie the human top dog in giving us the mouse community, though, as all the lessons we need remains others had the chance to be seenhalf-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782402373</amazonuk>0571376010

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jonathan MeresLauren St John|title=The World of Norm: 8: May Contain ButsFinding Wonder

|summary=Why is it the only person in NormRoo's world able to think straight is Norm? life has become almost impossibly difficult. His best mate Mikey is clamming up on certain subjectsHer mum died when she was young, and blaming mood swings now she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his hormones (wellway to the corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, he is all who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of thirteen. But she has no one else, after all)and so off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. His dad seems Things continue to be mourning the loss of an antique bottle of aftershave, his mother thinks sorting the recycling is a cure get worse for boredomRoo, as when she and his grandfather is all full of weird expressions and euphemism thingies. ThatJoni leave London in Joni's not to mention his younger brothersold campervan, who have it breaks down in mind to use mum's hair straightener on the dog. And that's certainly not to mention the girl next door, who evidently has been incapable middle of thinking straight since birth, but at least is doing the good thing by moving house. nowhere and then bursts into flames! It's a flipping miracle that Norm can get through a weekend like this without anything disastrous happening. Or can he?Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408334062</amazonuk>0571376169

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Piers TordayAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title= The Wild BeyondOscar's Lion|rating= 53|genre= Confident Readers |summary= Stories 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 younger readers about the effects of climate changeschool. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, known as cli-filooking sheepish, and admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. But there are growing massively in popularity right nowbenefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, as environmental disasters so he can take it to school and the disappearance it can get him out of many of the planeta problem. And it's animals wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the rules, and plants hit the news so on . OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a depressingly regular basiswonderful time. Shrinking glaciers mean rising water levels |isbn=0008596751}}{{Frontpage|author=Judith Eagle|title=The Stolen Songbird|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and the slow extinction is now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to take care of polar bearsher sister who is unwell. So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and in many cities pollution confused and smog worried. All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are so dire at times that governments are forced brought to ban cars and urge their citizens to stay indoorsa halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. But far from frightening children with tales she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, as she discovers a painting of ever-increasing destruction a bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and death, Piers Torday offers them all across London a way to hope. No matter how bad things fearsome gang called the Snakes are, this trilogy tells us, all it takes is determination, thieving artworks and together weterrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro'll save our beautiful world.s mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848668481</amazonuk>0571363148

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Caleb Krisp and John KellyTania Unsworth|title=Anyone But Ivy PocketNowhere Island|rating=4.5

|summary=12-year-old maid Ivy Pocket Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is at a loose end after her employer the Countess Carbunkle leaves her for South America "for no other reason than it is far enough away from Paris so determined to ensure that I never see you again." Charitably deciding that escape the old woman is 'bonkers' on care system – the basis system that constantly puts him in futureless places that anyone who doesn't see how wonderful she are not homes – and find a home for himself. He is couldn't possibly be in their right minden route to yet another fosterer, Ivy thinks she'll stroll when he jumps into another job but finds an anonymous car, and lets it more difficult than she'd expect - until the Duchess ride him to his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of Trinity gives her belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an important mission; to deliver a priceless diamond necklace to island between the granddaughter two directions of an estranged friend. But what should be a simple task becomes fraught with danger as Ivy faces obnoxious aristocratsmotorway, strange creaturesa place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. Them, and betrayala mute girl also finding a home there, albeit so much more successfully. Over a few 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…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408858630</amazonuk>1804540080

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Esme KerrHelen Peters|title=Mischief at MidnightFriends and Traitors

|summary= At England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it seems, like the slightly strange female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school of Knight's Haddonthat has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, thereand if we hadn's always t guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something intriguing going on. New girl Janetis amiss, cool and confident even when arguing with first separately and then in combination they realise the teacherLord Evesham must be a rum 'sun. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and not only that, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the big surprise for Edie this termgirls are wrong, and they become friends - but Anastasia feels forced out by the newer student's presence. Then some things happen which make Edie start to wonder if Janet is hiding something - can she solve another mysteryupper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>190948900X</amazonuk>1788004647

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gareth P JonesJamie Littler|title=Attack of the Giant Sea Spiders (Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates)Arkspire

|summary=It's a three-way battle Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the Slurring Mariner pubBadlands. On Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the one hand, four Steampunk Pirates – a fine mix religious districts of viciousArkspire, nefarious and metallic mariners who would make any passing human gulp (which is more than you could ever say perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of the beer). On anotherWatcher, the Dread Captain Inkybeard, who is married closest to a squid who lives on his head ruler the district has, and keeps his facial hair darkone of the five major victors in said earlier war. On Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the third, a ridiculously rich, ridiculously French and ridiculously successful recruiter – but to just what is he taking so many seamen? whole family. Whatever it isBut in finding something oddly magical, it's enough to get the Pirates and Inkybeard working together (ish) to solve the problem – but someone else Juniper might just be controlling the whole farrago…able to gain some power of her own – for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155995</amazonuk>0241586143

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Liz Pichon024162343X|title=Yes! No (Maybe...) (Tom Gates)Stolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=3.5|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary= WorkI was the bad company other people got into at school. ItI was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'god's not something Tom Gates has been guilty . Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Not too long after the end of WWII, I didn't so much before now – unless itwant to learn about the British army's to work out how successes (and where to hide his favourite caramel wafersoccasional failures, or how but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to deflect be called 'the evil grin of his slightly goth older sister. But itcolonies's on as want to dispute what right the cards this time round – not only does his mother have army had to be there in the inspired idea of clearing first place. Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the house out for a car boot sale (which causes disasters) maturity to approach 'the school is having an enterprise competition, where groups of students have to create something to sell on to their peers at a profitproblem' politely. But itI wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's not like Tom wants much – of course, he's a simple lad, with no real desires as such – he's never going to want to go hell for leather to get anything, is he?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407143190</amazonuk>Stolen History''.

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Linda Chapman and Kate HindleyThiago de Moraes|title=Best Friends’ Bakery: Birthdays and BiscuitsOld Gods New Tricks

|summary=In thisMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the fourth story in the Best Friends’ Bakery seriesschool aircon with fart powder, Hannah is recovering from she could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's being told that by her sadness at being thrown off one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the Junior Baker show on TVworld changes. Fortunately there’s plenty going on Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in her town but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and at her mum’s bakery to keep her busyall that powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. There’s a new beauty shop opening And so she begins her epic quest, to bake forgather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, a doggy rescue centre in troublegiants, half-gods and a new girl who seems intent so on stopping anyone from befriending herknown as the tricksters. How will Hannah get on with these new challenges in her life?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444011944</amazonuk>178845295X

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frances HardingeHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Cuckoo SongFinding Bear

|summary=Marketed as [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a twisted fairy talelot further north than many people would venture, ''Cuckoo Song'' is so much more. Hardinge’s lyrical style sets it apart from other fantasy reads. Such phrases as ''and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she was weeping spider silk'' lend it a melody all of its owncalled Bear. At Back home, things on the story’s heart is the sense of wanting to belong domestic and connect with others. It revolves around Piers Crescent’s daughter Triss who wakes up after an accident to find that family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for her world has changed. She doesn’t feel that she is herself , and starts to exhibit extremely peculiar behaviourso can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was last left on. She is ravenous For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and inexplicably binge eatswounded. For some reason her little sister Pen appears Desperate to hate hermake sure he's OK, scissors act strangely around her she and her parents are anxious for her father return to remain ill the Arctic and hope that in a world of very white and cosseted. She has memories from the time before very dangerous things, she nearly drowned but she can’t visualise can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the actual incidentfriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330519735</amazonuk>0008582017

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Phil Earle and Sara OgilvieSimon Fox|title=Demolition DadDeadlock

|summary=Jake's dad Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a wrestlersecret place, and join him on the run. Nobody knows howeverThey get together, because Jake's dad also insists that Jake keeps it a secret, so that no one realises that come but barely begin to smell the weekend he leaves behind whiff of Southern trains when the demolition sites that he works onfather is arrested, puts leaving Archie on his spandex suit and enters the ring as 'Demolition Man'! But Jake is so proud of late express to Brighton, toting a tin his dad that father was determined to keep away from his alter ego can't remain a secret for longcolleagues, and he sets about trying to change his dad's life through the world bearer of a whole heap of wrestlingquestions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444013866</amazonuk>1839944420

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Meg CabotCath Howe|title=Notebooks of a Middle-School PrincessMy Life on Fire|rating=45

|summary=The author of the hugely successful Ren''Princess Diaries'' has written s family home is destroyed in a brand-new series for younger girlsfire. She, her parents, telling the story of awkward middle-school student Olivia Graceand her little brother lose everything. She discovers that doesn't have any of her father is actually the Prince clothes, or any of Genoviaher special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, making and now she is living at hergrandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the foods they normally eat...a princess! Not everyone responds well When she goes back to school she discovers that the newsclass are doing a special art project, howevercreating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and poor Olivia is soon thrown into show who they are as a person. But Ren has nothing to put in a world of jealous bulliesbox, intrusive paparazzi, disgruntled relatives and a whole new family so she never knew existedfinds herself starting to steal things. Small things, things that people might not really miss, not when they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447280652</amazonuk>1839942835

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel HamiltonRob Keeley|title=The Case of the Exploding BrainsBoy Who Disappeared and Other Stories

|summary= You'd think, Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with one parent in prison and a return to the other one hardly ever moving from the sofashort story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, that middle school student Noelle Hawkins would have far too many problems on her hands already each as fun to start worrying about the occasional little explosion at the Science Museumread as his previous offerings. After all, that's the kind of thing that's bound to happen in a place littered with heaps of seriously wacky inventions, right?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147112133X</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dave LoweLaura Noakes|title= Squirrel Boy vs the Squirrel Hunter |rating=4|genre=Confident Readers |summary= Ten year old Walter Kettle is an ordinary boy until he eats a nut. Then he transforms into unlikely superhero Squirrel Boy whose only superpowers seem to be Cosima Unfortunate Steals a large bushy tail, an ability to climb trees and run very fast, and a sudden understanding of ‘Squirrelish’ (the language used by squirrels). In his second adventure, we join Walter to find out whether these unusual powers will be enough to defeat the determined Squirrel Hunter and save the squirrel population in the local park.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1907912738</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Lewis Carroll|title=Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition with Dame Vivienne Westwood)Star

|summary=Somewhere the book reviewing gods have a list of those classic titles that you cannot deny or begrudge their place in literary historyMeet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, that are soon just Cos to have a 150th birthday party with my name on an inviteher friends. That means little, as I – and The practice in the home she lives in fact most people – will of course is for the girls to just be reading them on their unbirthday, but named by the list does include number they correspond to in the current recipient of that honourledger, and they''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''re all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. It being long out of copyright anyone can put together But Cosima bears the tag as a 150th birthday edition for itsurname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, but this is one of as the more distinctive effortsfirst ever inmate, for it comes with and unique in having no known family in the help of Dame Vivienne Westwoodoutside world. And even though I have [[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition) by Lewis Carroll and Anthony Browne|spoken before]] of how I don't take During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the bookkitchen one afternoon, I can hereby declare this party was made she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the better girls for being twice as longhis Institute. But why, all courtesy of and what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the presence of Lewis Carroll.past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>178487017X</amazonuk>0008579059

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alexander McCall SmithAlice M Ross|title=Akimbo AdventuresThe Nowhere Thief|rating=4.5

|summary=I am, At 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 must . She also knows she should be saidfree from worries about being found out, because she has the ability to leave this world, something and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the buildings are generally empty of an Alexander McCall Smith addicthumans and ripe for plunder. I have handed out free copies of his books for World Book NightWith eviction imminent, I met him in Oxford can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at a literary festivalthe shop? Well yes, and I read pretty much everything he writes as he writes it! This time it’s a children’s bookis the answer, with three stories in one volume all about a boy called Akimbo. He lives on but the edge of fact a game reserve in Africa, and mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these stories are all about his rather amazing adventures with the animals who also share his home.different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405265345</amazonuk>1839943769

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah GarlandNatasha Farrant|title=Azzi in Between|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Our story begins in a country at war. Unfortunately you could probably put a name to it (although it isn't named) as it happens all too regularly. Our heroine is Azzi, a young girl whose life was not ''too'' affected by the war, but every day it came a little closer. Her father still worked as a doctor and her mother made beautiful clothes. Her grandmother wove warm blankets. Then the day came when they had to run, for their lives, and escape was by boat and they became refugees. The three Rescue of them - for Grandma had been left behind - had been luckier than most for they were accepted on a temporary basis into another country (again it's not named) and they had a home, although it was just one room.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847806511</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Sarah Garland|title=Eddie's Tent and How to go Camping|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Mum, Tom, Tilly, Lily and Eddie wanted to go on holiday and camping seemed like the ideal way to go. Lily and Tilly thought it was a brilliant idea and they had some experience, although their 'tent' did look just a little bit like a duvet over a chair. It's surprising what you need for a holiday, but Lily and Tilly had to be told to start again when Mum saw what they'd packed! But finally, Tom began to load the car and off they went.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184780408X</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=W Awdry|title=Thomas the Tank Engine 70th Anniversary SlipcaseRavenwood

|summary=ThomasThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, if you don't knowin the North of England, is where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a little Tank Enginecomplex, who extended family arrangement, as Bea is very quick to build up a head of steam there with her Uncle Leo, and move Raffy is there with his coaches mum, and trucks they are living together as a family. They have grown up swimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the train yards house and networks he works onloving every inch of the place. That does mean that he has to be shown up by But now the largerhouse is under threat, slower engines when he continually blows as Leo is under pressure from his whistle other two brothers to disturb their rest, and can even forget sell the property to bring any carriages with him when hea developer as it's pulling a train, but he does mean wellbecoming more and more expensive to maintain. HeThe children find themselves worrying not only about where they's a warmre going to live, feisty little characterbut if they'll even be together, and was probably always bound to become a bit of a favourite with warm, feisty young readers, especially those brought up with an eye to the romance of the railways. But he wasn't the first we met in the series that in public shorthand at least bears his nameif Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405277270</amazonuk>0571348785

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy HopkinsRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Mum Never Did Learn to KnockSecret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street

|summary= Everybody Jayden's nose is forever in a book, which means he knows if you have a special gift like seeing through walls or lot about mythological creatures – the ability phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. Aisha is addicted to speak giraffe you have to keep her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it secret, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the outside world of Hackney, London. If you don But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and with a past involving Jayden'ts cousin, men in dark suits and wrap-around shades take you away to experiment on youthey find a magical world they never knew existed. (And if it For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the kids unknowingly have the wall thingmagical sight needed to join in. Dare they side with Leila, girls will assume you're spying the woman on them when they get changed for PE board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and beat you up.) become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407148753</amazonuk>0241573483

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Eric ColossalB09XWSXSKY|title=Rutabaga Maestro Orpheus and the Adventure Chef: Book 1World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|summary=Meet Frederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the latest adventurer ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his mind. It happened every time he came to scour the landvisit his grandfather. He has a talent for finding the obscure and seeking out the rarehadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's ten now and surviving all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the undignified fates the world has in storetime. He even has a magical companionAnd time isn't good for anything...'' And that was why he was looking at the clock beside the bed. He will be open to any challenge set upon him, from locating dragon-smiting swords to besting It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the largest, most locally loved, rivalclock chimed only six times. He is Rutabaga, There was nothing for it but to go and find grandad - but where was he is, of course, a chef.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1419715976</amazonuk>? And why had all the clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?