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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewplainFrontpage|isbn= 1836285493|title=Thunderbirds are Go Official GuideThe Double Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Rob Keeley|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Will is a keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and a 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 Fighting Spirit|author=Rob Keeley

|summary=It's time 'Would you like to admit that I am old. I remember the first series of adopt a ghost?''Thunderbirds '' from Saturday morning kids' cinema – an episode of thatYoung spirit, then a second-run filmborn 1887, both for seeks kind home to haunt. Gentleman by birth. Good company. Gets on well with other children. Jokes and shocks a quidspeciality. They were only ten years old or so then, but at least that proved the franchise was durable. Nothing did that quite as much'' ''If interested, howeverplace outside your home three twigs, as in the news a couple shape of years ago that the Anderson estate was an arrow, pointing to allow your front door...'' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is celebrating a CG updating, bringing decade of his wonderfully entertaining [[Rob Keeley's ''Spirits'' series in Chronological Order|Spirits]] series with a new generation of people to the massed audience. Amid the usual worries about it losing everything adventure that made it special, it actually did pretty well when it aired in 2015 – even with is both a reboot and a breakfast time transmission slotcontinuation. This small(ish) format hardback isJust like Doctor Who, bar the annualEdward Fitzberranger, the very first chance to look at an official book concerning the seriesour incorrigible Victorian ghost boy, has some new companions. Ruby and inasmuch as it inspired me Jayden respond to research this intriguing advertisement and Edward, who has broken the returnrules as usual and absconded from his manor house home, is adopted by them and certainly accept it as looking takes up residence in.... a worthy addition to the canon, it succeeds on all fronts.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471124991</amazonuk>wardrobe!

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Roland Chambers and Ella OkstadRob Keeley|title=Nelly and the Quest for Captain PeabodyChildish Spirits: 10th anniversary special edition|rating=54

|summary=NellyAround here, we're big fans of children's father, Captain Peabody, sailed away when she was a babyauthor Rob Keeley. He remembered her birthday once or twice sending her 's a gift ball of painted snails happy positivity, he understands children, and an egg which hatched into a visionary turtle. This turtlehe writes for their pleasure and enjoyment, Columbus, has grown not to become Nellylecture or hector.  The ''Childish Spirits''s closest friend and companion as her mother sits silently knitting and nothing more has been heard from her fatherseries is one of his greatest achievements. There may be a lesson about parental inadequacy and unreliability here but if so itIt's understated. I have rarely met a less angst-ridden heroine than Nelly though she sequence of ghost stories centring on Ellie, a stalwart young girl who can give cope with anything the spirit world throws at her, and Edward, a firm lecture about keeping one's promises.spoiled lordling and the first spirit Ellie encounters|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192742698</amazonuk>1783064617

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Clive Gifford and Professor Anil SethMax Boucherat|title=Brain Twisters: The Science Last Life of Thinking and FeelingLori Mills|rating=34.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Meet We meet Lori on the brainfirst evening she's 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 lonesome. We all have What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one. We all use it (main intention, and by 'it' I mean a heck of a lot more of it than that is to log on to Voxminer, the 10% of urban myth) every second of the day. We engage with different parts of it for balanceworld-building, catching a ball, memorising critter-collecting game that is a list of moves hit in controlling Lori's world. But first Lori has a video game charactertiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, or understanding things ranging from written instruction to body languageand then she finds something even more spooky. It's such a vital part of For the body, taking up 20% of our glucose fuel intake as well as of oxygen, that understanding server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of it cannot come at too young an agetampering. But in this varied and complex bookWhen malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, looking at a varied and complex subject, I do wonder if her safe place in the right approach game has been taken at all times.doctored – well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782402047</amazonuk>0008666482

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jenny Broom Kieran Larwood and Kristjana S WilliamsJoe Todd-Stanton|title=The Wonder GardenDungeon Runners: Wander through the world's wildest habitats and discover more than 80 amazing animalsHero Trial

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Is Meet Kit. Like most of the people in his world, it any wonder that this book calls seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the outside world The Wonder Garden? I know things in fiction bookssport where a team of warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, on TV and in games can be fabulousrace to the exit, but can perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they compete – really – with what nature has presented? grant you along the way. You Unfortunately for Kit, the only need a gate through which to gothing he's seen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, eaten, and a willingness to explorenew trio of questors is needed. This book provides those gates – there they arePossibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, shining luxuriously on he has taken to the goading from the cover token bully of this jumbo-sized hardbackhis world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. And in five easyWhat chance does this friendless, muscle-tofree-take stepszone have in actually managing that, and how could 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 rest Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of other, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, along with it, all the book provides for that explorationmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|isbn=1736128426}}{{Frontpage|author=Tom Percival|title=The Wrong Shoes|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Will's life is difficult, taking us down south in Amazoniaa multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', down below he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn't have enough money for even the waters most basic of things like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the Great Barrier Reefcollege, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and up – to deserts had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and mountainsdad are separated, via Germanyand Will's own Black Forestlife seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. He is good at art, and clings to the trip moments of joy when he is nothing if not spectacular to look drawing, that feel like a light atthe end of a long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806473</amazonuk>1398527122}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1805141872|title=The Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Ben go on the run. But Al needs them for one last job...'' Goodness me, that Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a bad 'un like Al? We'll find out. Luckily for Miss Judson, the pupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, the son of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, and who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Martin Haake and Georgia CherryChristopher Edge|title=City Atlas: Discover the world with 30 city mapsBlack Hole Cinema Club

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=It's not every time I mention Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the feel nickname of the book I'm reviewing, but this time itThe Black Hole's worth a mention. This volume has been lavishly presented in a roughened card coverAll big movie fans, as opposed they're looking forward to the gloss lots of others in this format from this publisherexciting films, and so looks and feels like an old stamp catalogue. many, many snacks! The title image is indeed a stampHowever, stuck on the centre of the cover. And just as all stamps the world over are practically the same yet completely movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different in design, so and they are the worldswept up into an adventure they couldn's citiest even imagine. The point of this book is to bring the common elements But as well as the unique features of all the world's capitals they lurch from one film genre to the forenext, to show that while a city may be a city can they figure out what on earth is a city, their constant variety is what makes each and every one worth a visit. going on? With that being on Will they ever get back to the costly sidecinema, this is a decent enough substitute.and to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806481</amazonuk>1839942738

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Shannon Hale, Dean Hale and LeUyen PhamAdam Stower|title=The Princess in BlackMurray and Bun

|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=Princess Magnolia has Murray is supposed to be a double lifehumble, 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. On one hand she But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a perfectly primhyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, proper and pink castle turret to live inthe catflap they both use can chuck them out, on not into the other she has regular back garden, but into a secret escape tunnelworld of frightening adventure and whiffs. On her head she has This time round it drops them into a tiaraViking land, on her finger where a monster alarm. Her life troll hunter is also full of threats expected – on well, one side a horridmuch bigger than Murray was, blue, goat-eating beastie, on the other a prim and proper visitor intent on finding out if the perfect Princess has any secrets. Well we know she hasto be honest, but will they be discovered – he's turned up and which is the greater threat?he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0763678880</amazonuk>0008561249

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jacqueline WilsonAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=KatyThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts

|summary= Eleven year-old Katy Carr Eli is a tomboy whobusy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, despite her best intentionsand in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is always getting into troublea generation missing in the family. Lively and adventurous A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to the titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the 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, Katy Eli knows his only hope is very much to dare to enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the leader only thing to possibly save his gran.|isbn=0571382231}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Cooper|title=The Taming of her five younger brothers 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 against Gorgonzola the cat – and sisters until an accident damages her spine in case you're seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and she finds herself confined therefore all the names used here seem to a wheelchairbe the names of cheeses. Suddenly Katy Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don's life is turned upside down t match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and she has to learn makes stories based on the most basic things visuals on it. And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all over again, alone and cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to redefine her role keep themselves alive. This makes Brie the top dog in the familymouse community, though, and find a new meaning in lifeas all the others had the chance to half-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>0141353961</amazonuk>0571376010

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ursula DubosarskyLauren St John|title=The Red ShoeFinding Wonder|rating=54

|summary=They may be quite far apart, but three houses in a row in the rural suburbs of 1950s Sydney contain some incredibly unusual peopleRoo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. In one, a solitary old man of very few words, shuffling to the end of his days, but brandishing a Japanese sword he's purloined after WWIIHer mum died when she was young, and with a gun now she finds herself awoken in the corner of his lounge. In the middle, a family of five, with a father figure suffering from PTSD due to the same war, a mother feeling friendless and alone in night by the isolated time and location, and their three daughters – one of whom police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has given up dropped dead on school after an alleged nervous breakdown, his way to the middle one who barely speaks more than the neighbourcorner shop to buy a lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, and Matildashe can only name her aunt, our key interestJoni, who likes the idea she knows her dad didn't think very highly of spies. But she has no one else, and has an imaginary friend who came out of the radioso off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. The third house however might be where the most interesting people live – after allThings continue to get worse for Roo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it had been empty, but now breaks down in the luxurious building is home to several shady men in suits, who turned up out middle of the blue in luxury cars, nowhere and with at least one gun of their own…then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406358746</amazonuk>0571376169

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris ColferAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=The Land of Stories: Beyond the KingdomsOscar's Lion|rating=4.53

|summary=The last [[The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer|Land of 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 left readers on a cliffhanger with a shock revelation about the identity couple of the antagonist, the villainous 'Masked Mantimes before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents'. Since thenbedroom, fansall he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, myself includedlooking sheepish, have been waiting desperately 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 next book in bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the series in order other month. And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to see how our twin heroes Alex school and Conner deal with this surprising twist in it can get him out of a problem. And it's wonderful to have around the tale. The waiting is over; house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the new book is here rules, and ready to transport us once again to the magical Land of Stories.so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0316339385</amazonuk>0008596751

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Catherine StorrJudith Eagle|title= Clever Polly and the Stupid WolfThe Stolen Songbird|rating= 54|genre= Emerging Confident Readers|summary= Polly opens the door one day Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to find a large black wolf standing on the doorstepreturn home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. With no preamble whatsoever Her other mother, not even a cursory helloRonnie, the wolf informs Polly that he intends is having to go up North to eat take care of her upsister who is unwell. Incredibly Polly invites the wolf into So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her home mother despises, she feels frustrated and confused and even into the kitchen! What can worried. All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she be thinking of? Wellis stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, along with an orphan boy, Albie, young Polly who is cleverliving there too. But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, resourcefulas she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, independent and charming. The wolf is all across London a wolf of very little brain. Therefore it is not long before she is able to outwit fearsome gang called the wolf Snakes are thieving artworks and send him packingterrorising people. This first story is very short but sets Is the scene for painting somehow linked to the ongoing battle of wits between Polly and gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the wolf that will continue for the remaining twelve short stories in this charming and entertaining book.mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141360232</amazonuk>0571363148

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rupert WallisTania Unsworth|title=All Sorts of PossibleNowhere Island

|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=''When the sinkhole openedMeet Gil. Just twelve, there was no time he is so determined to break or turn escape the care system – the wheel, system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and the old green Land Rover was snatched off the dirt road over the smoking rimfind a home for himself.'' Somehow He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, Daniel makes and lets it out of the sinkhole and emerges ride him to safety with just a few scratches and bruises. But his father isn't so luckyfuture. While he lies That future seems to be in hospital jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an induced coma due to a severe brain injury, Daniel is released into island between the care two directions of his aunta motorway, a woman he has never metplace inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. There had been Them, and a mute girl also finding a family falling out after Daniel's mother died when he was just home there, albeit so much more successfully. Over a babyfew weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, and since then or if this is one place where life as we would want it's just been Daniel would not work…|isbn=1804540080}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Peters|title=Friends and his dadTraitors|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. Although his aunt seems nice enough One is Nancy, Daniel finds it difficult destined to trust be in service all her or open up to life it seems, like the female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. 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, and first separately and then in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and there's not only that, a lot to open up aboutlocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147114366X</amazonuk>1788004647

{{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Fuzzy MudJamie Littler|authortitle=Louis SacharArkspire

|summary=Tamaya isn't allowed Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to walk home be chalk and cheese. Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, including relics from school prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Elodie is intent on her own. And Tamaya doesn't like getting closer to break any rules. So when walking partner Marshall insists on taking a "shortcut" through power in one of the woods one day, she goes with himreligious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even though she isn't really supposed to walk through become the woods. Unbeknownst child in line to Tamayainherit the power of the Watcher, Marshall the closest to a ruler the district has chosen , and one of the five major victors in said earlier war. Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the route whole family. But in order finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to avoid school bully Chadgain some power of her own – for good, who has threatened him with a reckoning. A reckoning or for nothing at all - but you knowvery, thatvery bad…|isbn=0241586143}}{{Frontpage|isbn=024162343X|title=Stolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=5|genre=Children's how Non-Fiction|summary=I was the bad company other people got into at school bullies work. But lying 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 end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the British army's successes (and occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' as want to dispute what right the army had to be there in the woods is an even greater threat than Chadfirst place. Looking back, I 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 ''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408864746</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paul Stewart and Chris RiddellThiago de Moraes|title=Scavenger 2: Chaos ZoneOld Gods New Tricks

|summary=York is Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a lad on a missionyoung goddess of nuisance. So would you be, if your space station habitation was constantly attacked But just when she's being told that by evolvedher one-last-chance-giving headteacher, mutated and evil robotsthe world changes. Trying to get to the core of things Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – both the situation and the centre a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the giant biosphere carrying town the last humans to a future planet to reside on – heschool's just starting to enter in but the second level, alongside some surprising companions entire planet (surprisingapart from mobile phones, and all that ispowers the Internet, if you havenjust for our convenience't read [[Scavenger 1: Zoid by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell|book one]]s sake) and a lot . Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of gung ho spiritpower from us. The next stage is a 'mid deck' levelAnd so she begins her epic quest, where to gather all of Earth's habitation zones the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have been recreated – but nothingpast form in stealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, either animal or humangiants, has stayed half-gods and so on known as the same since the ship's launch…tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447234421</amazonuk>178845295X

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Katherine WoodfineHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title= The Mystery of the Clockwork SparrowFinding Bear|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= This entrancing Edwardian mystery is set in the exotic[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, sensuous and opulent world of finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a Department store which draws polar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, things on the reader in with enticing sightsdomestic and family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for her, sounds and smells so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the startislands Bear was last left on. When the heroine Sophie first steps on to the shop floor she feels like she is "stepping inside For a chocolate box"bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. Furthermore there is also something sacred about the experience- "Now, a reverent hush hung in the air Desperate to make sure he's OK, she and she found herself almost tiptoeing…gazing around her at father return to the immense chandeliers, the glittering looking-glasses, the glossy walnut panelling. It smelled luscious: no sawdust now, but Arctic and hope that in a glorious fragrance world of cocoa very white and candied violets very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and some other spicy scent, like dangerous thing – and that the cigars that Papa used to smoke after dinnerfriendship can continue." |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405276177</amazonuk>0008582017

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David O'Doherty and Chris JudgeSimon Fox|title=Danger is Still Everywhere: Beware of the Dog!Deadlock

|summary=Meet Gordon. He's a very safe betLate one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, now you have met himand then suddenly rings Archie, as demanding he's fetch something from a source of highly intelligent secret place, and descriptive warnings about dangerjoin him on the run. He and he alone can voice warnings about the Puddle Shark you might They get eaten bytogether, but barely begin to smell the Parp Donkey that might evict you by farting through your letter box, and whiff of Southern trains when the Headphones Crab that – wellfather is arrested, leaving Archie on the illustration here says it all. Nowlate express to Brighton, I know what you're thinking. Advice this intelligent and salient could only really come toting a tin his father was determined to keep away from Docter Noel Zone, the world's only Level Five Dangerologist. And you'd be right. Gordon is the name Noel gives to his wardrobe. And Noel is currently living in Gordon the wardrobe, as his house has been taken over by a messy, noisycolleagues, and incredibly dangerous puppy. Add into the mix bearer of a pet contest hosted by the world's most dangerous man and you have a recipe for disaster (when all you wanted was a completely safe recipe for cabbage soup, as well…)whole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>014135920X</amazonuk>1839944420

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Gillian CrossCath Howe|title= Shadow CatMy Life on Fire|rating=4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= When NolanRen's effervescent mother suddenly takes him on a surprise journey he family home is destroyed in as much fear a fire. She, her parents, and doubt as the reader about what will happen nexther little brother lose everything. Meanwhile music sensation Midir She doesn's daughter Feather is tired t have any of her clothes, or any of being controlled her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and dreading now she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the next photo opportunity for foods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that the press. Thenclass are doing a special art project, one nightcreating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and show who they are as her father prepares for a shocking, spectacular event, everything changesperson. Cross keeps us guessing as Nolan's world is turned upside down and he But Ren has nothing to make difficult choices. Why is his mother put in the clouds on an exultant high one minute a box, and greyso she finds herself starting to steal things. Small things, stressed and in the doldrums of despair the next? Does Feather things that people might not really want to be his friend or do miss, not when they just have the serval they have sworn so much already. But what will happen to protect in commonher if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192736736</amazonuk>1839942835

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Julian Clary and David RobertsRob Keeley|title= The BoldsBoy Who Disappeared and Other Stories|rating= 54|genre= Confident Readers|summary= The Bolds, Mr and Mrs and their two small children, live in an ordinary semi-detached house in suburban Teddington. They have jobs; Mrs Bold designs and sells flamboyant hats and Mr Bold writes jokes for Christmas crackers. But they are most definitely not an ordinary family. Oh noHooray! They are in fact hyenas. So far they have managed Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to successfully pretend to be human beings. Although very hairy and prone to laughing a lot they have kept the truth (and their tailsshort story format!) a secret from everyone. But their grumpy next door neighbour, Mr McNumptyThe Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, is growing suspicious and then a trip each as fun to the local safari park has repercussionsread as his previous offerings. Will the Bolds' carefully long kept secret be revealed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783443057</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Maudie SmithLaura Noakes|title= The Cake, the Wolf and the WitchCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating= 54|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Max doesn't believe in happy endingsMeet Number One. How could he Or rather, when lovelyCosima Unfortunate. Or rather, brave, caring Mum got killed climbing a mountain? He doesn't like heights or small dark spaces and he doesn't like silly fairy storiesjust Cos to her friends. He absolutely hates being dressed The practice in knickerbockers, silk slippers and a cape for Dad and Ilona's wedding, and in fact, the only thing that's worse, home she lives in his opinion, is for the fact that once it's over he'll have girls to share his home with a horrible new brother and sister. I mean, come on, people! Nettle is a total grouch who's clearly never cracked a smile in her whole life, and little Wild is just . . . well, be named by the number they correspond to tell in the truthledger, heand they's plain daftre all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. He prances But Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the place like a demented butterflyfirst ever inmate, and he never takes his baseball cap offunique in having no known family in the outside world. During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, even she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to go want to bedadopt all the girls for his Institute. How's Max supposed But why, and what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to get along the past she has so little link with that pair?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444015605</amazonuk>0008579059

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rose Lagercrantz Alice M Ross|title=The Nowhere Thief|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=At last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and Eva Erikssonher mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, because she has the ability to leave this world, 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 humans and ripe for plunder. With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the shop? Well yes, is the answer, but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|isbn=1839943769}}{{Frontpage|author=Natasha Farrant|title=When I Am HappiestThe Rescue of Ravenwood

|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=If Dani leaves her school for This story is another excellent adventure from the summer holidays with one souvenir, it will either be the memories author of ''Voyage of the fabulous friendship she formed with EllaSparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, who struck a chord in [[My Happy Life by Rose Lagercrantz and Eva Eriksson|book one]] then moved awaythe North of England, or it will be a book she has written where Bea and compiled to remind her Raffy have been living for most of all the happiness she has encountered along the waytheir lives. That They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is not quite finishedthere with her Uncle Leo, for the following day and Raffy is to be the great end of year partythere with his mum, and her classroom decorations they are complete 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 house and her dress has been bought new speciallyloving every inch of the place. But not all of life now the house is happiness and jollity – and Dani under threat, as Leo is removed under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the classroom property to a developer as it's becoming more and more expensive to face very bad newsmaintain. What ending is in storeThe children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to live, but if they'll even be together, for her book and for ours?if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1927271894</amazonuk>0571348785

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Noel Streatfeild Robin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Ballet Shoes Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street

|summary=Jayden''Ballet Shoes'' tells s nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the story phoenixes and unicorns of three adopted orphans – Paulinethe world, Petrova and Posy Fossilfor example. Brought Aisha is addicted to 1930s London her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as babies by an eccentric explorer (Great Uncle Matthewtheir mothers see it, otherwise known as Gum)is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the girls have a comfortable life until the family begin to run out outside world of moneyHackney, London. Luckily 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 those mythological creatures are all given places at real, including the Childrenone Aisha thinks she's Academy seen on a bit of Dancing local footage. The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and Stage Training the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and soon start to earn their own way her relative who lives as child performers on a figure in a painting, and become saviours of the stage. unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141359803</amazonuk>0241573483

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Gareth P JonesB09XWSXSKY|title=Clash of Maestro Orpheus and the Rival Robots (Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates)World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|summary=We learn a lot about Frederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the world ticking of the Steampunk Pirates a clock was playing over and over in this volume of their adventureshis mind. While having had references to Britain fighting France before now, we find the location matters more than [[Attack of the Giant Sea Spiders (Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates) by Gareth P Jones|last It happened every time]], as we head back he came to Englandvisit his grandfather. The Pirates have been told of a way He hadn't really wanted to get into the Tower of London come; after all, he's ten now and all those old clocks don't appeal to steal him anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the Crown Jewelstime. We also learn a lot about their upbringing, if you can call it And time isn't good for anything...'' And that – certainly more than last time, as we see what made them piratical in was why he was looking at the clock beside the first place, which bed. It was a surprise to their inventor when it happenednearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. But you never know, they may be about There was nothing for it but to face a showdown against said scientist – go and, worse, his next generation of robots. find grandad - but where was he? If only they perhaps And why had been programmed to avoid temptation…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847156061</amazonuk>all the clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?