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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__{{newreview|author=Saviour Pirotta and Mark Robertson|title=The Giant Book of Giants|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=There's a rather large giant's eye starting back at me from the cover of this book...I'm not scared though, because the book promises that the giant contained within is a gentle giant who will guard my room<! And he really is contained within since this is a book set which includes a book of giant stories from around the world as well as a huge giant poster (over one metre high!) which is in 3D and contains moving parts!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405260084</amazonuk-- Remove -->}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy CassidyMax Boucherat|title=The Chocolate Box Girls: Marshmallow SkyeLast Life of Lori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It doesnWe meet Lori on the first evening she't seem like a year since I first met s got the Tanberry sisters house to herself – no neighbour to pop in [[Cherry Crush: The Chocolate Box Girls by Cathy Cassidy|Cherry Crush]] because they're all very fresh in my mind, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. The five girls – four of them are called Tanberry What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and Cherry that is their stepto log on to Voxminer, the world-building, critter-sister – are all just preteen or collecting game that is a hit in their early teensLori's world. But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, with Honey as the oldest and Coco as the youngestthen she finds something even more spooky. Honey is still not coping with For the fact that server she and her father has left – bestie and is now living in Australia – or with the arrival nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of Paddy and Cherrytampering. On occasions she's not just difficult When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in the game has been doctored – she's ''dreadful''.well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141384808</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=K M Grant|title=Hartslove|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=1861, Epsom. A young lad, Garth, is at the start of the biggest horse race in the land, astride The One, an ungainly but lightningKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-fast three year old who had never been ridden until just months ago. At the side of the track, Garth's five sisters, and friends, are willing him on. How can this young jockey win the race, upon which the fate of their castle home and so much more depends? And what are we to learn after the prologue that sets all this out, that would make us want him to NOT win?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857381873</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Paul GeraghtyStanton|title=The HunterDungeon Runners: Hero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=At Meet Kit. Like most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the start sport where a team of 'The Hunter'warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and race to the exit, Jamina perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and her grandfather are walking in the bush collecting honey. Jamina wants to see elephants but her grandfather tells her it is unlikely because not many have been seen since points they grant you along the hunters cameway. Initially Unfortunately for Kit, she is quite enthralled by the idea only thing he's seen of hunters and proclaims the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that she wants to be one. She starts to play at hunting but this game ends in her becoming lost. She is drawn towards a sad and desperate cry team has been retired, eaten, and eventually comes across a small baby elephant trying new trio of questors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to wake the goading from the token bully of his dead mother. She leads the baby away world and hopes to head towards home but all around she senses danger and is aware that the poachers are never that far awaystumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. She feels hunted herself and through What chance does this journey she comes to realise friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that hunting is bad , and that she no longer wishes how could he possibly hope to become a hunter.succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849393761</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Fiona DunbarJames Sherwood Metts|title=Kitty Slade: Fire and RosesPlanet Storyland|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In Things have been a bit sticky for the second in the Kitty Slade seriesEarthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, Kitty lives with her Greek grandmother (Maro) who home educates Kitty, her brother Sam often replacing jobs they're paid to do and sister Flossieother tasks that took time to accomplish. Kitty has a rare condition: she can see ghosts. On a trip Just as they were beginning to get used to Oxenden all this technological change and starting to stay with Maro's friendsthink of other, Kitty experiences some strange Poltergeist-type phenomenanew ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and discovers that , along with it, all the family of Sir Ambrose Vyner (Maro's friends Dinky, Charlie and their children Louis and Emily) are under a cursemany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408309297</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ian BeckTom Percival|title=The Hidden KingdomWrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jack Hunter was not impressed by the idea Will's life is difficult, in a multitude of moving from Southend to Barnoldswickways. It was a long journeyHe is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', hehas the wrong shoes because his dad can'd left all his friends behind t work and to cap it all doesn't have enough money for even the rather sassy girl next door announced that most basic of things like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his bedroom job at the college, was hauntedworking a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. The family had moved north because Throw into that mix the fact that his Mum's father was getting a bit frail mum and needed looking afterdad are separated, but when Jack goes to see Grandad he realises that thereand Will's a lot more to the old man than meets the eyelife seems bleak in every direction. He And yet, he still has a secret to share with Jack – and a gold coin which does seem to show that what Grandad says about buried treasure is truetiny amount of hope. He hunted for it for years is good at art, and now clings to the moments of joy when he's handed is drawing, that feel like a light at the quest on to Jackend of a long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B005EIQ3ZE</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jana Oliver1805141872|title=The Demon Trappers: ForbiddenTeacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=After the demon attack on the Tabernacle, Riley Blackthorne has got ''Seventeen banks and a lot to think aboutjeweller’s have been raided. Her (dead) Father turned up to warn her about the impending attackThe police are baffled, but just made him and Riley look guilty in only Ben knows the process. Riley doesn't care about thattruth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, she wants to know who reanimated is really a safecracker! With police and her Father gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and stole his body. Her bet is Ben go on Ozymandias, the creepiest of all the necromancers – plus she did tick him offrun. But Al needs them for one last job...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330519484</amazonuk>}}''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rob StevensChristopher Edge|title=S.T.I.N.K.B.O.M.B.: Secret Team of Intrepid-Natured Kids Battling Odious Masterminds, BasicallyBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Archie loves planes, Lucas and is never happier than when his pilot father lets him take friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the controls nickname of his Dragonfly 600 jet aircraft'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, with its ability they're looking forward to hoverlots of exciting films, move at five times and many, many snacks! However, as the speed of a helicopter movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, and land and take off verticallythey are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But in as they lurch from one film genre to the honourable tradition of next, can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the hidden herocinema, his slightly nerdy preoccupation with flying, not and to mention going round with chocolate-guzzling Barney who their real lives in a dream-world of spies, conspiracies and enemy agents, gets him bullied at school and nagged at by his teachers.?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330530240</amazonuk>1839942738
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Adam GidwitzStower|title=A Tale Dark Murray and GrimmBun|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Not many books begin with Murray is supposed to be a humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the hero and heroine losing their heads (literally) before page thirtytwo. And that But he's a bad magician's not the only misfortune to befall Hansel and cat, so his sister. No sooner are their heads and necks reunitedfavourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they've fled their murderous parentsboth use can chuck them out, than not into the two children find themselves in front regular back garden, but into a world of an edible housefrightening adventure and whiffs. And we all know what happens if you eat people This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's homes, donturned up and he't we? Well, maybe.ll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849393702</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sam OsmanAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Serpent's GoldThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Most children probably know more about Hindu gods Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and Creation myths than they do about ley linesin the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, so too – for there is a whole wealth of new information and ideas generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to the titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to be found navigate the world in this series of books about the adventures company of Wolfie, Tala and Zi'iba magical beast. Ancient beliefs about stone circles and megaliths, magic circles, This has made the race anathema to the Great Pyramid pair – but when a bad incident at Giza and the Knights Templar are linked through these mysterious lines eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with modern sites like Battersea Power Station and the Tate Modern as our three heroes battle sole aim the forces prize of wickednessmagic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407105760</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lucinda HareHelen Cooper|title=Dragon Whisperer: Flight to Dragon IsleThe Taming of the Cat|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Quenelda DeWinter is Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the twelve year old daughter of Earl Rufus DeWintermouse, up against Gorgonzola the commander of the Stealth Dragon Services. As cat – and in case you're seeing a member of the nobilityconnection, Quenelda should be at Grimalkin's College for Young Ladies they live in a cheese shop and learning how therefore all the names used here seem to curtsey properly, like her jealous brother Darcy's fiancee, be the ladylike Armelianames of cheeses. However Anyway, Quenelda Brie is a dragon whisperershunned, scorned and can communicate both telepathically , 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 it as art and through dreams with dragonsmakes stories based on the visuals on it. And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and her ambition is cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, though, as all the others had the chance to enrol at half-inch some cheese while the Stealth Dragon Services Battle Academy at Dragon Islecat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552560235</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Albert Uderzo and Renee GoscinnyLauren St John|title=Where's Asterix?Finding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Following Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the tradition middle of 'Where's Wally' books here we have 'Where's Asterix?' There are 12 different scenes from the Asterix stories where you have night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to find not just Asterix but buy a whole range lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of other characters hidden throughout as well. Turn But she has no one else, and so off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for Roo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in the middle of nowhere and then bursts into a competition as you win a laurel wreath for each character you findflames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444004441</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emily BearnAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Tumtum and Nutmeg: Trouble at Rose CottageOscar's Lion|rating=4.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Mysterious things are afoot in Rose Cottage. It appears that some new miceWe start incredibly bluntly, one with golden teethOscar hoping to have his mother – or father, have moved into the kitchen and are threatening the tranquil lives but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of Tumtum and Nutmeg who live in Nutmouse Halltimes before he has to be ready for school. After some investigation they discover the new mice are town miceBut when he enters his parents' bedroom, intent all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on causing troubletheir bed, looking sheepish, and admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. Will But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the children discover who has been stealing their thingsbully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, or discover so he can take it to school and it can get him out of a way to stop their father from selling Rose Cottage before problem. And it's too late wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the rules, and their livesso on. OK, as well as Tumtum and Nutmegit can's, are changed forever?t work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405256559</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David BenedictusJudith Eagle|title=Return to the Hundred Acre WoodThe Stolen Songbird|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Christopher Robin is back! At least thatCaro's what the Rumour spreading like wild fire through the Hundred Acre Wood saysmother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. He's returning for more adventures with Pooh and Piglet and Rabbit and Owl and Kanga and Roo and Tigger and Eeyore and Her other mother, as I'm sure you'll agreeRonnie, that is a Very Good Thinghaving to go up North to take care of her sister who is unwell. From exciting new friends (Lottie the Otter giving Kanga some welcome female company) So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to adventures and competitions, stay with water slides to locateGam, bees to relocatesomeone Caro has heard her mother despises, books she feels frustrated and confused and worried. All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to write and schools practise her gymnastics are brought to founda halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, this book picks along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. But she soon finds herself caught up where the previous one left offin a mystery, and really does read like an organic 3rd part as she discovers a painting of a trilogy (poetry books excepted) rather than bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and all across London a tag on that comes some 80-plus years after fearsome gang called the original Snakes are thieving artworks and from terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the pen of another.mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405251603</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Wilma TenderfootMeet Gil. Just twelve, assistant he is so determined to escape the care system – the great Detective Theodore Psystem that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a home for himself. Goodman, He is off en route to solve yet another case with the help of her loving dogfosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, Pickleand lets it ride him to his future. The That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of Copper Island hangs belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the balancetwo directions of a motorway, a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and Wilma thinks it's possible that she may just yet discover who her parents really areseclusion. Them, and a mute girl also finding a home there, albeit so much more successfully..make sure you're sitting comfortably Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, you won't want to put or if this is one down!place where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330535234</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kay WoodwardHelen Peters|title=Wuthering HeartsFriends and Traitors|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=book a real painEngland, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, she still wants destined to be Cathy in service all her life it seems, like the female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school production that has been removed there away from bomber flight- who wouldnpaths. The girls are chalk and cheese, and if we hadn'tguessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something is amiss, especially with and first separately and then in combination they realise the utterly gorgeous new boy Robert as leading man? RobertLord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, though, resembles Wuthering Heights' moody Heathcliff in more ways than just being good-lookingtalk is made of meetings with Germans, and Emily finds it very hard to get to know him properlynot only that, even after a development which means they're spending much more time togetherlocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. Can two people find romance on But surely the Yorkshire moorsgirls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849392994</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anne-Marie ConwayJamie Littler|title=Star Makers Club: Polly Plays Her PartArkspire|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Polly Conway is having Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to deal with rather a lot at the momentbe chalk and cheese. Her mum has got a fabulous new job – but it’s Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in Spain! That leaves Polly to live with her dadillicit magic, her new stepmother who she can’t stand, and her baby brother who’s just annoyingincluding relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Depressed by Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the problems in her lifereligious districts of Arkspire, she ignores her dad’s rules and turns perhaps even to become the friend2friend website child in line to find comfort. As she gets increasingly addicted inherit the power of the Watcher, the closest to a ruler thesitedistrict has, she starts to lose focus on 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 important things whole family. But in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her life own – including her family and the Star Makers’ new production.for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409520919</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Elliott Skell024162343X|title=Neversuch House: Mask of the EvergonesStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=The Halibuts are an extraordinary familyI was the bad company other people got into at school. Almost two centuries ago I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the Captain used his immense wealth to buy up land and surround it by existence of a high wall'god'. He took a wife Where was the proof? In history lessons, and employed families it was probably worse still. Not too long after the end of servants WWII, I didn't so much want to serve his every need. Money was no objectlearn about the British army's successes (and occasional failures, and subsequent generations of Halibuts had anything they desired but we didn't dwell on one condition: if they ever left those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' as want to dispute what right the grounds of army had to be there in the Housefirst place. Looking back, they could never returnI 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>1847387446</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Diana Wynne JonesThiago de Moraes|title=Earwig and the WitchOld Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Earwig lives at St Morwald's children's homeMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. Unlike some orphans in literature But just when she's perfectly happy there since she seems to have everyone answering being told that by her every whimone-last-chance-giving headteacher, and she loves spending time with her best friend Custardthe world changes. Things are soon to change though as one day Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a rather strange couplepower-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, Bella Yaga and all that powers the MandrakeInternet, come to look just for a child our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. And so she begins her epic quest, to foster 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 semi-deities, giants, half-gods and so on known as the one they pick is Earwig!tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007416857</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Francesca Simon Hannah Gold and Pete Williamson|title=The Parent Swap Shop|rating=4.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Ava's parents like to nag. They nag her about her spelling, about eating with her knife and fork, or sitting straight on her chair, or going to bed on time...nag, nag, nag! But then one day she finds a card advertising 'The Parent Swap Shop' and when her parents nag her one more time she packs them off and sets out to find herself a new set of parents!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444002678</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Philip ArdaghLevi Pinfold|title=The Eddie Dickens TrilogyFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Eddie Dickens. Aged eleven years old[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], he's only April had been allowed to be away from home twice in his life - once for about eight years on Bear Island, a boatlot further north than many people would venture, when and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a crate of luggage went to school in his placepolar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, things on the domestic and once family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for about three yearsher, and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was last left on. Now though he is being forced to move in with Mad Uncle Jack For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and Even Madder Aunt Maud, as his parents are very illwounded. But theyDesperate to make sure he're so deliriously bonkerss OK, there's very little chance of him getting she and her father return to actually move the Arctic and hope that in with thema world of very white and very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue. Who knows - he might even end up stuck in an orphanage instead?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571274692</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alexander McCall SmithSimon Fox|title=Precious and the MonkeysDeadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=On moving to middle schoolLate one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, and then suddenly rings Archie, eleven year old Elise's life takes demanding he fetch something from a turn for secret place, and join him on the worserun. She's bullied by her cool and popular locker-buddy Amanda They get together, and embarrassed by her best friend Franklin – who's decidedly uncool and certainly not popular – she's alsostruggling but barely begin to cope with smell the new arrivals at her home, Aunt Bessie's younger sister Annie and her baby daughter Ava. Just whiff of Southern trains when she doesn't know how she can cope with everythingthe father is arrested, help arrives in leaving Archie on the form of a strange key with her name on it. As she opens late express to Brighton, toting a door tin his father was determined to find out about her pastkeep away from his colleagues, Elise starts to realise that she can take control and the bearer of a whole heap of her futurequestions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141336064</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=James Rollins has hit upon Ren's family home is destroyed in a truly brilliant premise in this seriesfire. People She, her parents, and creatures from our world her little brother lose everything. She doesn't have been transported at various times to a savageany of her clothes, prehistoric place called Calypsosor any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and in the first volume, [[Jake Ransom and the Skull Kingnow she is living at her grandmother's Shadow by James Rollins|Jake Ransom and house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the Skull King's Shadow]] Jake and his sister find themselves suddenly whisked foods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that the class are doing a city where Romansspecial art project, Mayanscreating boxes of their lives, Neanderthals to display things that are important to them and groups from many other societies, places and eras live more or less peaceably side by sideshow who they are as a person. Their archaeologist parents disappeared three years before, and the two young people's struggles But Ren has nothing to surviveput in a box, and so she finds herself starting to defeat Kalverum Rexsteal things. Small things, the Skull Kingthings that people might not really miss, go side by side with their hope of finding a trace there of their mother and fathernot when they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444000853</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Geraldine McCaughreanRob Keeley|title=King Arthur The Boy Who Disappeared and a World of Other Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to the short story format! The prolific, award winning author Geraldine McCaughrean has collected together twenty four stories from around the world in this highly impressive collection, garnered from four earlier collections. It includes the familiar from the Western tradition (Wilhelm Tell, Pygmalion, King Arthur) Boy Who Disappeared treats us to those that are completely eleven new to metales, from Bolivia, Togo, Japan, the Middle East. The stories are no more than five pages long, making them ideal for bedtime reading (or hometime reading in a school).|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444002376</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Julia Jones and Claudia Myatt|title=Strong Winds Trilogy: The Salt-Stained Book|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Donny and his mother left their bungalow on the outskirts of Leeds and headed off each as fun to Suffolk to meet Donny's great aunt. It was never going to be easy read as Skye, Donny's mother, was deaf and just about mute. She and Donny communicated by signing and usually they managed quite well, but when Skye had a breakdown in a car park in Colchester, their camper van was towed away and fourteen-year-old Donny was taken into care. He couldn't understand why none of the officials would believe him – in fact, were they all that they seemed? And why will no one let him see his mother?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1899262040</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Kallie George and Abigail Halpin|title=The Melancholic Mermaid|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Maude is a mermaid who was born with two tails. Her parents tell her it makes her special, stronger and faster, but amongst the other mermaid children it makes her an outcast. She is lonely, and she longs for a friend. Feeling sorry for herself one day she isn't paying attention and she is captured by a fisherman who sells her to a circus. On the same day that Maude was born, Tony was born in a cottage by the sea. He has webbed hands and, like Maude, is teased at school and left lonely and sad. His parents send him to live with the circus, believing he will be accepted and happy there but Tony is still lonely and he misses the sea. But then one day he is put in charge of a new attraction for the circus. A mermaid with two tails..previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1897476531</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=After Mrs James at school suggests writing a diary is a healthy and cathartic activityMeet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, Cherry decides just Cos to chronicle her own lifefriends. She's of The practice in the view that her mental cupboard is home she lives in definite need of a good clear out. This is not an entirely surprising view: Cherry's parents went through an acrimonious divorce and things were for the girls to just getting back be named by the number they correspond to normal when Slimey Roland appearedin the ledger, and they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. Can you believe it But Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, but Cherry's mother only went and married this chinless wonder! And then unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, she moved him indiscovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. But why, and what does that body entail? And then could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she reneged on her promise to buy Cherry a dog because Roly had ''allergies''! has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>000742485X</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kate CostelloeAlice M Ross|title=The Breakfast ClubNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Billie and her three best friends have grown to love the breakfast club they've formed, meeting every Saturday morning to pass the time and discuss the week they've had. Mario's At last there is new stock in the perfect venue for it impoverished yet over- so it's full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a huge shock when they find seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it's closing down! In addition. She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, Billie's mother is adamant that because she shouldn't pursue has the career in music she wants more than anythingability to leave this world, and Billie can't understand why. Can the girls find somewhere else use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to spend Saturday morningsenter 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 they persuade Billie's mum that music is what really matters Elsbeth nab anything to heractually 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…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444902857</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paula LeydenNatasha Farrant|title=The Butterfly HeartRescue of Ravenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This story is another excellent adventure from the author of 'The Butterfly Heart' takes place in Zambia, Voyage of the beautiful Sparrowhawk'butterfly heart' of Africa. The story Ravenwood is told through two voices: Bul-Booan old house, in the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a young girl who lives complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her family Uncle Leo, and twin sister MadilloRaffy is there with his mum, and Ifwafwathey 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 Snake Man. He is old house and wise and has loving every inch of the unique ability to communicate with snakesplace. The twins' lovely and gentle friend Winifred But now the house is in trouble. Her father has diedunder threat, and as Leo is under pressure from his brother has arranged for her other two brothers to sell the property to marry his friend, a man old enough to be Winifreddeveloper as it's grandfatherbecoming more and more expensive to maintain. Winifred seems resigned The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to her fatelive, but Bul-Boo is determined to do somethingif they'll even be together, and in desperation, the twins turn to Ifwafwaif Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406327921</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Josh LaceyRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Island Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of ThievesSilver Street|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=While TomJayden's parents have their first childless holiday nose is forever in decadesa book, our hero which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. Aisha is supposed addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be staying at his uncle Harveyout there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 's flatout there' themselves, exploring the outside world of Hackney, London. Unfortunately his uncle is But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a roustabout adventurerscience-minded, educational purpose, and with a clue to past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a treasuremagical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's location is himself going to Peru to seek 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 rest of kids unknowingly have the mapmagical sight needed to join in. When Tom invites himself along he has no idea Harvey is already wanted by Peru's biggest criminalDare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, nor what this impetuous decision will lead too...and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849392455</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Kjartan Poskitt and David TazzymanB09XWSXSKY|title=Agatha Parrot Maestro Orpheus and the Floating Head as Typed Out Neatly by Kjartan PoskittWorld Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Agatha Parrot lives on Odd StreetFrederick (or Fred, which is appropriate since her story is rather an odd onebut never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. Part school dramaA tune, part slapstick farce this is rather like the ticking of a funnyclock was playing over and over in his mind. It happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, ridiculous romp of a story!he's ten now and all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140525596X</amazonuk>}}''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the time. And time isn't good for anything...''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Catherine BrutonNigel Baines|title=We Can Be HeroesA Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Ben is spending Cooper loves to perform magic tricks. His father was a magician, and named Cooper after the summer with his grandparents because his mother is ill againgreat Tommy Cooper. She won But sadly Cooper't stop going out for runs s father died suddenly, and is not eating properly. Shenow Cooper doesn's gone back t quite know who to be, or how to stressing out about having the "right" cutlery and worrying about technology and health hazardsbe. And her beautiful hair has started falling out. Benwhen his dad's father was killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and with his mother incommunicadoprop rabbit starts talking to him, he''really'' doesn't know what's feeling very lonely indeed. going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405256524</amazonuk>1444960261
}}
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