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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=A G TaylorMax Boucherat|title=Meteorite StrikeThe Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sarah is not ready. SheWe meet Lori on the first evening she's not ready got the house to forgive the man who is her fatherherself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, for abandoning on her and her young brother Robert eight years agolonesome. She cannot yet forgive the circumstances of her mother dyingWhat could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and of the promise they were forced that is to log on to makeVoxminer, to go to Australia with the manworld-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and start a new lifethen she finds something even more spooky. She is certainly not prepared for For the meteor strike server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to smash into Australia just as they fly above itenter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, which downs and her safe place in the plane in game has been doctored – well, where is a horrid crash, and seems to carry with it an alien virus which forces many people girl to drop permanently asleep.turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409508579</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cynthia KadohataKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=A Million Shades of GreyDungeon Runners: Hero Trial|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=At just twelve, Tin is Meet Kit. Like most of the youngest elephant handler people in his village. Ever since world, it seems, he can rememberis an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a team of warrior, Tin has dreamed of working with elephants mage and he loves his own elephanthealer enter specially prepared, century-old, Ladymagical mazes, and race to distractionthe exit, even spending most of his nights sleeping by her sideperhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. Tin is much less keen on school Unfortunately for Kit, but his parents insist that the only thing he goes. Tin really can't see s seen of the pointlatest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, as his sole ambition eaten, and a new trio of questors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to become the goading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a fullyteam. What chance does this friendless, muscle-fledged elephant trainer. His parents may talk about opportunities free-zone have in the world outside his village but if they don't involve elephantsactually managing that, and how could he's not interested. possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184738823X</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gigi AmateauJames Sherwood Metts|title=ChanceyPlanet Storyland|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ChanceyThings have been a bit sticky for the Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they's dam was Starry Night re paid to do and her owner loved other tasks that horse so much that she wanted a foal who was exactly like hertook 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, but when Chancey was born she was bitterly disappointed for instead of the black Appaloosa with white marking Chancey was born albinoalong came an awful pandemic. It Life was only his striped hooves which proved his breeding. The owner was not big enough to overcome her feelings pretty much shut down and when she fell on hard times , along with it was Chancey who was left out in , all the field to suffer despite the fact that he was no longer a young horsemany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140632258X</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dean Hale, Shannon Hale and Nathan Hale Tom Percival|title=Calamity JackThe Wrong Shoes|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Will's life is difficult, in a multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'I was born to scheme'the wrong shoes', declares our hero Jack. With flashbacks we see he has the young lad wrong shoes because his dad can't work and a pixie frienddoesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, larking about for revenge or small profit. But when and his motherdad can's bakery gets more t work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and more had an accident. Throw into that mix the redfact that his mum and dad are separated, the size of the profit has to increaseand Will's life seems bleak in every direction. And when you add in revenge against the local crime lord - yet, he still has a giant tiny amount of a man - so does hope. He is good at art, and clings to the size moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the target end of the japea long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0747587426</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Laurie Halse Anderson1805141872|title=ChainsThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In this third adventure''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, Jackbut only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a fourteen year old Saxon apprentice bardsafecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Thorgil, a bad-tempered shield maiden, follow the Bard Dragon Tongue Ben go on a quest to quell the draugr - the malevolent spirit of a drowned mermaid mistakenly summoned to Jack's village and who seeks revenge run. But Al needs them for her earlier ill treatment at human handsone last job...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184738630X</amazonuk>}}''
}}
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ryan is a changed boy. Since he got into hot water with manager Steve for bullying several books ago, Lucas and his captaincy of the United U12s was threatenedfriends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, he's been determined to get his socks firmly pulled up. He's worked really hard at redeeming himself too - both on and off a place that has the pitch. Henickname of 's more than halfway towards becoming the best captain the teamThe Black Hole's ever had. So when Craig All big movie fans, they's attitude suddenly nosedives and he starts playing dirty during games and being insolent during training, Ryan feels a big responsibility re looking forward to help sort it out. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141324724</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Christopher Russell and Christine Russell|title=The Quest lots of the Warrior Sheep|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Take five rare breed sheepexciting films, put them in a fieldand many, and wait for something to fall out the sky on to one of them. many snacks! You'll find the result is that they gather, confer among themselvesHowever, work out their sacred God Aries is in trouble as he's lost the only thing to confer his power over the sacred Demon of sheepmovie starts, Lambadthey very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, and decide to take the fallen object they are swept up North to return itinto an adventure they couldn't even imagine. A journey that will take them into London in a market truckBut as they lurch from one film genre to the next, down can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the Undergroundcinema, and so much more on to their epic journey.real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405243767</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dugald SteerAdam Stower|title=The Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles Volume 2|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Daniel and Beatrice Cook are studying Dragonology with Dr Ernest Drake, Murray and are awaiting the hatching of their very own dragon egg. But suddenly their parents have gone missing, an illness is killing dragons and it all smells of evil dragonologist, Alexandra Gorynytchka. Before they know it, the brother, sister and new dragon chick have to deliver Liber Draconis, the dragon diary, and St Petroc's chalice to Dr Drake in Hong Wei, which may hold the secret to the cure. As the back cover reads: ''The future of dragon kind hangs in the balance!'' |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0763634255</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=John Ward|title=The Comet's ChildBun
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Teenage Fin Murray is rescued from 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 remote forest home by Ragg, fancy next of the first man he has ever encounteredtwo. Having such But he's a sheltered childhood bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has equipped Fin with been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the speech and education of regular back garden, but into a nobleman's son but little idea about the real worldof frightening adventure and whiffs. Other This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than relying on his instincts and resourcefulnessMurray was, Fin has no way of knowing who to trustbe honest, or where but he is bound as 's turned up and he leaves home with Ragg.'ll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1905537123</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Dork DiariesThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I do like Eli is a blurb to be accuratebusy 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. So when I saw the back cover of this book state the obvious to meEli lives with his lovely gran, "Diary of too – for there is a Wimpy Kid for girls!", I could rest assuredgeneration missing in the family. I didnA few short years ago, Eli't relax fully, howevers parents were both lost to the titular race, for I'd read [[Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney|globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the blue one]] company of those and found it a bit feeble, and [[Diary of magical beast. This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney|bad incident at the yellow one]] and found it eatery leads to a bit fabulousconfession from gran, so I couldn't guarantee any feminineEli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, pink variant would be worth my timewith the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847387411</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ceci JenkinsonHelen Cooper|title=Mirror Mischief (Oli and Skipjack's Tales The Taming of Trouble) the Cat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sid from Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the pizza shop is on holiday cat – and in Africa and shecase you's sent presents to her two best customersre seeing a connection, Oli Biggles they live in a cheese shop and Skipjack Haynestherefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. Oli's present Anyway, Brie is a mirror shunned, scorned and , if you must, mous-tracised, 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 itas art and makes stories based on the visuals on it. And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and cast out. It's not just any mirror almost as it seems if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to have magical powerskeep themselves alive. It was perhaps unfortunate that Vernon SurdThis makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, though, as all the mean maths teacher who punishes anyone who can't do fractions and Slugger Stubbins, others had the school bully should be chance to half-inch some cheese while the ones at cat was distracted. But will the wrong end of story have the magical powers but successful sequel it seemed quite appropriate needs when that the first should be transformed into a vulture and the second into a blue-faced baboon.cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571249698</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anthony Horowitz Lauren St John|title=Crocodile Tears (Alex Rider)Finding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fans of Anthony Horowitz' Alex Rider series have had a two-year wait for this installment of our young heroRoo's escapades and they are not going to be disappointedlife has become almost impossibly difficult. He's fourteen year old Her mum died when she was young, and now and not only is he being targeted she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by a hitman, he's also being pursued by a journalist who wants the police banging on her door to tell the nation all about the fact her that MI6 are using one of her dad has dropped dead on his tender years way to do their dirty workthe corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. The trouble is that he When asked what other family she has, she canonly name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't be positive that it was a sniper that caused the car he was in to skid off a Scottish road and land at the bottom think very highly of a Loch. And MI6 don't seem all that bothered about the journalistBut she has no one else, unlessand so off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for Roo, that is, Alex might be willing to find some simple information from a GM crop research centreas when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in which case they might be able to have a quiet word with the gentleman.middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406310484</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Suzy Brownlee Adam Baron and Benji Davies|title=The Littlest Detective in LondonOscar's Lion
|rating=3
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''The Littlest Detective in London'' We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is the first in this series more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of childrentimes before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents's books by Suzy Brownlee bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and will soon admitting that he won't be followed by the continuing story of Clementine Cordelia Bird's exploits in Parishungry for another two days. The books But there are aimed at young girls, aged between benefits to having a lion around eight and fourteen– it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the other month. Clemmy (as she is known) is nine years old, but looks younger And it can shapeshift, due so he can take it to her being rather smallschool and it can get him out of a problem. However And it's wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, she makes up for this by being brave much more lax about the rules, and inventiveso on. We learn early on that her mother disappeared in mysterious circumstances and the books have the underlying theme of Clemmy trying to find her mum again OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0956122205</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gary BlackwoodJudith Eagle|title=Mysterious Messages - A History of Codes and CiphersThe Stolen Songbird|rating=54|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=ThereCaro's something utterly cool about codes mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and ciphersis now missing. It's not just the spies with their secret world Her other mother, Ronnie, it's the mystery of an ostensibly random set is having to go up North to take care of letters or picturesher sister who is unwell. It's being able So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to unravel them stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and see what they're hidingconfused and worried. It All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a 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 she soon finds herself caught up in a combination mystery, as she discovers a painting of geeky riddle solving (a bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and geeks all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are cool, so there) thieving artworks and uncovering terrorising people. Is the unknown meanings. Gary Blackwood treats us painting somehow linked to a history of codes and ciphers, looking at their creation, the stories behind them, and how gang? And what has happened to crack them.Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0525479600</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Daniel PennacTania Unsworth|title=DogNowhere Island
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Dog was Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the runt of care system – the litter. Unwanted. Half-drowned system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and left to die on find a rubbish tip, you can imagine better starts in life home for this scruffy-looking little puppyhimself. But He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it's not so badride him to his future. Black Nose takes him under her wing and gives him That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a little camp on an island between the two directions of her milk and a lot of her love. More importantlymotorway, she teaches him the rubbish tip ropes a place inaccessible and gives him as much advice about doghood definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and ownerhood as she possibly can. And then..seclusion. Them, and a mute girl also finding a home there's an accident. The last thing Black Nose says to Dog is ''If you go to the town, watch out for the carsalbeit so much more successfully. Dodge Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, little or if this is one, remember.''place where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406322741</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robert CrowtherHelen Peters|title=Cars - A Pop-Up Book Of Automobiles|rating=3.5|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Robert Crowther tells the story of the car, from Cugnot's steam engine, Trevithick's road locomotive and Benz's Motorwagen, right through to the record-breaking Thrust SSC Friends and to future cars, like the biodegradable Eco One. There are plenty of pop-ups and pull tabs to bring it all to life, and it's packed with detail.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406312274</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=James Fitzsimmons|title=The Hudbrax Hoard (Sabrax Clyke Series)Traitors
|rating=3
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Sabrax ClykeEngland, WW2. Not allowed Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to sit around be in service all her life it seems, like the hole in the dryfemale 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-stone wall he paths. The girls are chalk and his family call homecheese, and admire the pretty girl whoif we hadn's just moved in next door, he's persuaded by an urgent message from distant relatives to go to t guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their aid regarding some unmentionable, awful predicamentfirst encounters would only prove it so. His journey there But something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the task itself will involve metal dragons, odd standing stones, earth-shattering movements, and unearthly nastiesLord Evesham must be a rum 'un.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0955644216</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jane Ray|title=Snow White|rating=3.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Jane Ray has taken the classic fairy tale Midnight deliveries are received under cover of Snow Whitesecrecy, the dwarves and the wicked queentalk is made of meetings with Germans, and created beautiful three-dimensional tableaux. It's a much-loved story not only that everyone is familiar with, and this is a great opportunity to rediscover a classic in an interesting new waylocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406311839</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=MeetTwo sisters, once againJuniper and Elodie, Poppy Fieldsborn fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. When tasked 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 religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even to create a murder mystery experience for a school fete she is only surprised become the child in line to find inherit the power of the Watcher, the headmistress - closest to a newly employed battleaxe that no-ruler the district has, and one seems to like - a real-life victim of an assassinthe five major victors in said earlier war. And there is Being trained in the magic that only a school field full five people can use would definitely change the status of suspectsthe whole family. Can she and But in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her best friendown – for good, brainbox Georgeor for very, solve the day and make the staff room a safer place to be? And where does the invisible sheepdog come in?!very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406314633</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Morpurgo024162343X|title=The Kites are FlyingStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Said lives on I was the West Bankbad company other people got into at school. He herds his family I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 's sheepgod'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, spends a lot it was probably worse still. Not too long after the end of time talking in his head to his absent brother MahmoudWWII, and he makes a great many kites, which he sends across the wall I didn't so much want to learn about the girl in the blue headscarf who lives in the occupiersBritish army' settlements. What Said doesns successes (and occasional failures, but we didn't do, is talk out loud, even dwell on those) in what came to his new friend Mister Max. Max is a Western journalist who wants be called 'the colonies' as want to make a documentary about how dispute what right the Palestinian/Israeli conflict affects ordinary people on both sides of army had to be there in the wallfirst place. Max is entranced by Said Looking back, and his dozens of kites, all bearing I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the maturity to approach 'the message salaam or peaceproblem' politely. He can see that Said has a dream, but he I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's not sure what it is''Stolen History''. Will the dream come true before Max has to leave? |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406317985</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tanya LandmanThiago de Moraes|title=Dying to be Famous (Poppy Fields Murder Mystery)Old Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Poppy Fields - an inquisitive young lassTrixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, keen on exploring her world - in she could almost be thought a slightly different way to her geeky, walking-encyclopaedia young goddess of a best friend, Grahamnuisance. So keen is But just when she to explore the phenomenon 's being told that is the latest seenby her one-everywhere, snappedlast-atchance-allgiving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-hours celebrityout, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, she makes and all that powers the pair of them go to audition Internet, just for bit parts in our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the Christmas production power of The Wizard of Oz the star is starting to rehearsepower from us. Unfortunately for And so she begins herepic quest, she apparently hasn't noticed she's to gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the third book in a series of young reader murder mysteriessemi-deities, giants, half-gods and deaths more unexpected than having a house land on you might just be so on known as the playbill..tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406314625</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Till (that's short for Tillawn) has lost his dog Bess [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and he has no idea how he's going to find her until finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a mysterious stranger appearspolar bear – that she called Bear. Mr Finder interviews various witnessesBack home, including things on the domestic and family front are a catbit advanced, a molebut not perfect for her, and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was last left on. For a heron bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and Miss Mouseywounded. ItDesperate to make sure he's not what Miss Mousey says that gives Mr Finder the vital clue as to what has happened to BessOK, but the sketch she made of and her father return to the riverbank at the time Arctic and hope that Bess went missing. There's in a lot world of magic in the quest to find Bess, but it's all very confusing for Till white and at very dangerous things, she can find one point he even doubts specific white and dangerous thing – and that the motives of Mr Finderfriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406319821</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emily BearnSimon Fox|title=Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas AdventureDeadlock
|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) by Emily Bearn|previous adventure on a pirate ship]] I was particularly looking forward to this Late one. It's Christmas, and our two friendly little mice have been working hard, preparing delicious treats and temptations ready for Christmas Day. One evening they go upstairs to check night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the children who live in their houseforce, Arthur and Lucythen suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a secret place, and find their letters to Father Christmas. Last year join him on the children didn't get any presents because their chimney was blocked up and Father Christmas couldn't get inrun. They've asked for the same presents again this yearget together, hopeful that this year Father Christmas will manage to find a way through even though their father refuses but barely begin to unblock smell the chimney for fear whiff of drafts. Tumtum and Nutmeg are worried anyway that Southern trains when the letter won't reach Father Christmas in timefather is arrested, and that leaving Archie on the children will be disappointed once again. They decide to take matters into their own hands and set off late express to visit the terrifying Baron Toymouse in Toy Kingdom to see if he can help. HoweverBrighton, with clockwork cats toting a tin his father was determined to contend withkeep away from his colleagues, and the capture bearer of Tumtum by the evil Baron, Christmas could turn out to be an even bigger disaster than they'd thought..a whole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405250267</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ren''Quicksilver'' s family home is the story of Wolfiedestroyed in a fire. She, her parents, Tala and Ziher little brother lose everything. She doesn'ib, three ordinary children from three different continents. They t have never metany of her clothes, until a strange chain or any of events involving gunher special little knick-toting gangs knacks from her cupboard, and eccentric old men means now she is living at her grandmother's house where they all end up in Thornhamcan't touch anything, a London suburb. They soon realise they are connected: they all have green eyes with golden flecks and a missing parent. But was it fateor do anything, chance or even eat the ley lines foods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that encompass the earth class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to display things that brought are important to them together? Before you know it and show who they're solving clues and fulfilling are as a one thousand year old prophecyperson. But all Ren has nothing to put in a box, and so she finds herself starting to steal things. Small things, things that people might not really miss, not when they want have so much already. But what will happen to do her if someone finds out what she is find their parents.doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407105736</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joanne Dahme Rob Keeley|title=Tombstone TeaThe Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Having recently moved to a new school, in a new town, Jessie is struggling to make friends and fit in. She Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is afraid to show these new people who she really is - in her old school she often found she had 'blank' moments, when she could hear voices and 'see' people who weren't really there. In desperation to become part of a 'group' she accepts the dare of back with a group of girls return to spend the night in the Cemetery and collect some gravestone rubbings short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to prove she was there. Once there she bumps into Pauleleven new tales, the handsome caretaker, and finds herself in the middle of a strange evening when, Paul claims, local actors get together each as fun to rehearse for something called the 'Tombstone Tea', a play in which they portray those buried in the graveyard...there's something strange though about these actors and Jessie soon finds herself caught up in a chilling dramaread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0762437189</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David MillerLaura Noakes|title=Sea WolfCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet HannaNumber One. Or rather, Ned and JikCosima Unfortunate. They're on an unlikely quest Or rather, just Cos to recover her friends. The practice in the world's biggest and richest pearl, from home she lives in is for the girls to just be named by the hiding place Jik alone knows of, when there's a problem number they correspond to in the shape of a tornado. They're thrown from the craft ledger, and they're onall Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, Ned disappears - and then there were twouncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. Hanna and Jik get rescued by But Cosima bears the occupants of tag as a horridsurname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, piratical craftas the first ever inmate, engaged and unique in very environmentally-unfriendly fishinghaving no known family in the outside world. Jik gets overworked and underfedDuring a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, and then there was one..she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. Only one - Hanna - with the spunkBut why, brainpower and energy what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to keep her spirit together, and try and get one up on the Maestro who commands the boat.past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192729020</amazonuk>0008579059
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Katie DaviesAlice M Ross|title=The Great Hamster MassacreNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Anna. Rather than write At last there is new stock in the usual staid what-I-didimpoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in-my-holidays report for schoola 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 is taking has the time ability to tell us about her pet issues over the summer, from recalling the Old Catleave this world, and the horror that is the New Catuse an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, to where the New Rabbit down sea levels are rising dramatically and the road, buildings are generally empty of humans and her own demands ripe for a hamster or twoplunder. There are family secrets to be revealed relating to hamsters of oldWith eviction imminent, parents can Elsbeth nab anything to argue withactually generate custom at the shop? Well yes, and finally a trip to is the pet shop - and that's just answer, but the start of Anna's troubles.fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847385958</amazonuk>1839943769
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Josh LaceyNatasha Farrant|title=Two Tigers on a StringThe Rescue of Ravenwood|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=BenThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of 's not too keen to be sharing his bedroom with his half-brother, Frank. But you don't have to be Voyage of the hero of a detective adventure such as this book to know that as FrankSparrowhawk''s mother has vanished from . Ravenwood is an old house, in the face North of the EarthEngland, Ben will let it lie - where Bea and Raffy have been living for a whilemost of their lives. Nor They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is it too surprising to see the four Misfitz togetherthere with her Uncle Leo, on another caseand Raffy is there with his mum, and they are living together as they go on a family. They have grown up swimming in the hunt for cove, roaming through the missing woman.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407109782</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Patrick O'Brien|title=You Are The First Kid On Mars|rating=4.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=It is a sci-fi future of no danger whatsoevertrees, completely at one with no technological breakdown, all of the nature around the house and no fatal meteor strikeloving every inch of the place. But now the house is under threat, but that of course as Leo is only under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the property to be expected for this market. I say a developer as it 's becoming more and more expensive to highlight how well the book has been illustratedmaintain. Digital airbrush techniques and more have taken the antiseptic sheen off the whole experienceThe children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to live, but have still allowed for a great detail in the machineryif they'll even be together, and also a lovely warmth in the face of the lad we're empathising withif Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0399246347</amazonuk>0571348785
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mary NaylusRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The DresskeeperUnicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Things are pretty grim Jayden's nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for Pickyexample. She Aisha is thirteen years old, being bullied at school, and has addicted to spend her weekends helping her singlenew tablet, working mum to take care where she can see videos of her little brother and her senile grandmotheranything that might be out there. One eveningThe problem, at her Granas their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there's housethemselves, she goes up into exploring the attic and tries on an old dress that she finds inside an old chestoutside world of Hackney, London. The dress But when a narrowboat turns out to be magicup carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and she suddenly finds herself back in 17th Century London, struggling with a strange man who is calling her past involving Jayden'Amelia' and is trying to kill hers cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. Picky ends up embroiled in AmeliaFor many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's 17th century life as she tries to find out seen on a bit of local footage. The crew of the truth of who is attempting to murder herboat, including a living gargoyle, at are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the same time as trying kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to avoid arousing suspicion join in. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her strange behaviour whenever she returns to relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of the present day.unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0956122280</amazonuk>0241573483
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=John Abbott Nez B09XWSXSKY|title=Cromwell Dixon's Sky-CycleMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It is a truth universally acknowledged that school summer holidays are only enjoyable if you want to enjoy summerFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. Greg here doesn't want to notice itA tune, rather like the ticking of a clock was playing over and would prefer to spend over in his days curtains drawn, face glued to late night TV or a computer game, hand either clicking away at a controller or shovelling in snacksmind. The last thing It happened every time he needs, then, is came to visit his mothergrandfather. He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, on a he's ten now and all those old clocks don'family togetherness'' trip, and on a budget, with bad ideas of what Greg should be doing insteadt appeal to him anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141327650</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester ClarkNigel Baines|title=The Best A Tricky Kind of TimesMagic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Most children enjoy a good traditional tale and this lovely book by Michael Morpurgo seems Cooper loves to have all the right ingredients – a handsome prince and perform magic tricks. His father was a beautiful princess who fall in lovemagician, get married and live happily ever after. Or do they? Sadly, not long named Cooper after Prince Frederico marries the lovely Princess Serafina, she becomes very sadgreat Tommy Cooper. Nobody knows what has caused such great sadness, but poor Prince Frederico is desperate to find a cure for his wife But sadly Cooper's misery. He tries everything in his power father died suddenly, and eventually decides now Cooper doesn't quite know who to offer his kingdom be, or how to anyone who can make her happy again before she dies of a broken heartbe. Lots of people come And when his dad's prop rabbit starts talking to the palace to try and help but in the end the solution is a simple one provided by some very kind travellers.him, he ''really'' doesn't know what's going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405232552</amazonuk>1444960261
}}