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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__{{newreview|author=Lois Lowry|title=Number the Stars|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Copenhagen, 1943, and everyone from schoolgirls like Annemarie up are suffering from shortages, fear and loathing <!-- Remove -- all caused by Nazi occupiers. But it's always been an open country, has Denmark, and no less than the King takes a daily horse ride, protected in plain view by every single loyal subject. But when, on the Jewish New Year, word gets out that Jews will have to be hidden more discretely, things kick into action. Annemarie and her family take her best friend, Ellen, to the country for safety. But it seems death will even follow them there...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007395205</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Francesca Simon and Tony RossMax Boucherat|title=Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire The Last Life of Lori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=HeWe meet Lori on the first evening she's got the leader of the Purple Hand ganghouse to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, the eternal tormentor of his sickeningly goody two shoes brothershe has one main intention, and that is to log on to Voxminer, the master of getworld-rickbuilding, critter-quick schemescollecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. He But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn's met the queent find herself entirely on her own, tricked and then she finds something even more spooky. For the tooth fairy server she and her bestie and fought off the bogey babysitternobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. He's eternally misunderstood When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and always her safe place in trouble. He's Horrid Henry and he the game has been doctored – well, where is as charismatic and as hilarious as ever. a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842551353</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sophie McKenzieKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Sister, MissingDungeon Runners: Hero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Lauren has spent Meet Kit. Like most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a tumultuous couple team of yearswarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, finding her birth mother and working out ways race to stay in the lives of both of her families. To make things unbearably harderexit, her father Sam has died suddenly, nine months before perhaps bothering with the treasure or the beginning of this story, big bad and the constant hostility of her older sister shows no sign of abatingpoints they grant you along the way. Shelby, understandably Unfortunately for Kit, resents the constant attention paid to this sister who turned up out only thing he's seen of the blue latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one dayteam has been retired, eaten, and feels she a new trio of questors is being ignored needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in consequence.actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857072889</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=T H WhiteJames Sherwood Metts|title=Mistress Masham's ReposePlanet Storyland|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ten year old Maria is an orphanThings have been a bit sticky for the Earthlings. With a venal Vicar as her Guardian AI and a horrible governess, Maria lives in a corner of her practically ruined stately home, with only the cook, Mrs Noakesautomation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and an absent minded Professor other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as her friends. One summer's day she takes a leaking punt out on the ornamental lake in the grounds of the house, they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and on an artificial island, in a Folly (the Mistress Masham's Repose starting to think of the title)other, she discovers a community of Lilliputiansnew ways to spend time, the Peoplealong came an awful pandemic. At first she treats them like playthingsLife was pretty much shut down and, desperate to own them as she owns nothing elsealong with it, but all the Professor helps her to see them as people worthy of respectmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849414823</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellTom Percival|title=Dork Diaries: How to Dork Your Diary|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=#The clue is in the title. This is volume 3 and a half in the ongoing series of adventures for Nikki Maxwell. Here she gets her knickers into a right twist because her diary, which of course contains three books of adventures lusting after the school hunk, hating the school bitch and copious amounts of embarrassment, seems to have got lost at school. Her search for it takes her into places you wouldn't expect, closer to her BFFs, and into a major discussion about the merits and style of creating your own diary.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857073524</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell|title=Muddle Earth TooWrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It takes courageWill's life is difficult, and in a lot multitude of skillways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', to write a book which parodies not one but dozens he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of popular storiesthings like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and it is fortunate had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that Paul Stewart his mum and Chris Riddell dad are just the guys for the jobseparated, and Will's life seems bleak in every direction. They take on wizards And yet, handsome vampires, fairies, princesseshe still has a tiny amount of hope. He is good at art, dragons and flying carpetsclings to the moments of joy when he is drawing, and jumble that feel like a light at the whole lot up together. The result is one hilariousend of a long, silly and thoroughly satisfying storydark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0230747671</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Morpurgo1805141872|title=War: Stories of Conflict|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Throughout history, war has blighted society and had long lasting impacts on not only those directly involved but the innocent bystanders too. This collection of stories, edited by the magnificent Michael Morpurgo himself, looks to explore the impacts of war on individual soldiers, families and especially children. Every story approaches conflicts from a different angle and this ensures that even though there are a good number of short stories in the book, you will never feel as if it is becoming repetitive or dull. The stories do a good job of conveying just how multi-faceted and complex the concept of war is.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1447205014</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewTeacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Karen McCombie|title=You, Me and Thing: The Curse of the Jelly BabiesRob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=At the bottom of Ruby's garden there lives 'Seventeen banks and a Thingjeweller’s have been raided. He's a strange creatureThe police are baffled, a little like a squirrel (but only don't suggest that to him because you'll make him ''very'' angry! But he has wingsBen knows the truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, and huge bush baby eyes. Ruby and Jackson discover him together and decide to keep his existence secret which is all well really a safecracker! With police and good until the magic startsher gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and then thereBen go on the run. But Al needs them for one last job...''s the curse and a bit of a problem with jelly babies!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571272398</amazonuk>}}
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom AnglebergerChristopher Edge|title=Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda BookBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In this follow up to 'Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the nickname of 'The Strange Case of Origami YodaBlack Hole'' there is a new paper finger puppet in school. Harvey has made himself a Darth Vader (Darth Paper) and it isAll big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of courseexciting films, and many, turning him to the dark sidemany snacks! I hadn't read However, as the original story to begin withmovie starts, so I must admit they very quickly realise that there were times when I wondered quite what was going on! It seems that one of the boys at school, Dwight, made an Origami Yoda finger puppet and something about this puppet gave his classmates amazing advicenew film format is very different, advice that helped them in their school relationships and resolved various problemsthey are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. Origami Yoda was, undoubtedly, using the force!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1419701274</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Lesley Howarth|title=Maphead|rating=4|But as they lurch from one film genre=Teens|summary=MapHead and his father Ran are of to the Subtle World. Ran can travel through timenext, make things disappear and erase human memories. MapHead can flash the map of any place across his face and bald scalp. MapHead they figure out what on earth is a halfling and now he is almost 12, Ran has brought him to meet his human mother. As going on? Will they need ever get back to pass for humansthe cinema, they've taken new names - Boothe and Powers, from a random movie - practised to their English, and enrolled MapHead at the same school as his half-brother. real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846471206</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rob KeeleyAdam Stower|title=The Alien in the Garage Murray and Other Stories |rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Would aliens like custard creams? Can fake tan hide a big lie? Are TV remotes sinister objects? Do secrets make you popular? Rob Keeley explores all these questions and more in a super collection of slightly spooky, blackly comic short stories. They're beautifully observed and you can see that Rob knows children well. He has the emotional landscape exactly right and is equally accurate when describing - and sometimes gently mocking - peer relationships. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848765797</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve and Eleanor Updale|title=HauntedBun
|rating=4.5
|genre=TeensConfident Readers |summary=I've always enjoyed Murray is supposed to be a good ghost story – whether at a sleepover when I was a teenagerhumble, tidy and friendly cat, or even now reading horror stories in bed in the middle of the night. As soon as I saw this book I knew I wanted one who is able to read itsleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, and it did not disappoint; a group whatever takes his fancy next of excellent authors from all genres have come together and the result is a collection of brilliant stories not to be missed by any ghost hunters out theretwo.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849393214</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Joyce Lankester Brisley|title=Milly-Molly-Mandy But he's Friends|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Milly-Molly-Mandy doesna bad magician't much mind being an only child when she s cat, so his favourite bun has people like Little Friend Susanbeen turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, Billy Blunt and Miss Muggins's Jilly to play with. And what fun the catflap they have! With overnight guestsboth use can chuck them out, trips in not into the pony-trapregular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventure and whiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, dressing up as Proper Ladiesone much bigger than Murray was, running races and even forming secret clubsto be honest, therebut he's never a dull moment.turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>023075497X</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There's Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a rather large giant's eye starting back helper at me from the cover of this bookdessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the family..I A few short years ago, Eli'm not scared thoughs parents were both lost to the titular race, because a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the book promises that world in the giant contained within is company of a gentle giant who will guard my room! magical beast. And he really is contained within since this is This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a book set which includes bad incident at the eatery leads to a book confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of giant stories from around magic at the end – the world as well as a huge giant poster (over one metre high!) which is in 3D and contains moving parts!only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405260084</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy CassidyHelen Cooper|title=The Chocolate Box Girls: Marshmallow Skye|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It doesn't seem like a year since I first met the Tanberry sisters in [[Cherry Crush: The Chocolate Box Girls by Cathy Cassidy|Cherry Crush]] because they're all very fresh in my mind. The five girls – four Taming of them are called Tanberry and Cherry is their step-sister – are all just preteen or in their early teens, with Honey as the oldest and Coco as the youngest. Honey is still not coping with the fact that her father has left – and is now living in Australia – or with the arrival of Paddy and Cherry. On occasions she's not just difficult – she's ''dreadful''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141384808</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=K M Grant|title=HartsloveCat|rating=43.5|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 lightning-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 Geraghty|title=The Hunter|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=At the start of 'The Hunter'Once again, Jamina and her grandfather mice are walking in the bush collecting honeypitched against cat. Jamina wants to see elephants but her grandfather tells her it is unlikely because not many In this case, principally, we have been seen since Brie the hunters came. Initiallymouse, she is quite enthralled by up against Gorgonzola the idea of hunters cat – and in case you're seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and proclaims that she wants therefore all the names used here seem to be onethe names of cheeses. She starts to play at hunting but this game ends in her becoming lost. She Anyway, Brie is drawn towards a sad shunned, scorned and desperate cry and eventually comes across a small baby elephant trying to wake , if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his dead motherhabits don't match the other mice he lives with. She leads They nibble up paper wrapping from the baby away cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and hopes to head towards home but all around she senses danger and is aware that makes stories based on the poachers are never visuals on it. And that far away. She story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels hunted herself all alone and through this journey she comes cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to realise that hunting is bad and that she no longer wishes keep themselves alive. This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, though, as all the others had the chance to become a hunterhalf-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>1849393761</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Fiona DunbarLauren St John|title=Kitty Slade: Fire and RosesFinding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by the second in police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the Kitty Slade seriescorner shop to buy a lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, Kitty lives with she can only name her Greek grandmother (Maro) aunt, Joni, who home educates Kitty, she knows her brother Sam and sister Flossiedad didn't think very highly of. Kitty But she has a rare condition: no one else, and so off she can see ghostsgoes to live with her unreliable aunt. On a trip Things continue to Oxenden to stay with Maroget worse for Roo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's friendsold campervan, Kitty experiences some strange Poltergeist-type phenomena, and discovers that it breaks down in the family middle of Sir Ambrose Vyner (Maro's friends Dinky, Charlie nowhere and their children Louis and Emily) are under a curse.then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408309297</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ian BeckAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=The Hidden Kingdom|rating=5|genre=Teens|summary=Prince Osamu is a pampered, spoiled young orphan who has never known friends his own age or been told what to do. He spends his life surrounded by beauty and riches in a world where most people do not even dare to raise their eyes to his face, collecting the exquisite pots made by Master Masumi and writing poems. His tutors have told him about the demons of Hades which try, every few centuries, to break through the barrier and take over this world, and that it is his responsibility to repel them, but he dismisses all this as old wivesOscar' tales. And then one night the forces of the Emissary attack the palace, and every certainty he had is gone in a flash.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192755633</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Martin King|title=Jack Hunter - Secret of the Kings Lion
|rating=3
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jack Hunter was not impressed by the idea of moving from Southend We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to Barnoldswick. It was have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a long journey, couple of times before he'd left all his friends behind and has to cap it all the rather sassy girl next door announced that his bedroom was hauntedbe ready for school. The family had moved north because But when he enters his Mumparents's father was getting bedroom, all he sees is a bit frail and needed mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking aftersheepish, but when Jack goes to see Grandad and admitting that he realises that won't be hungry for another two days. But there's are benefits to having a lot more lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the old man than meets bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the eyeother month. He has a secret And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to share with Jack – school and it can get him out of a gold coin which does seem to show that what Grandad says about buried treasure is trueproblem. He hunted for And it for years and now he's handed wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the quest rules, and so on to Jack. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B005EIQ3ZE</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jana OliverJudith Eagle|title=The Demon Trappers: ForbiddenStolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=After the demon attack on the TabernacleCaro's mother, a world-famous whistler, Riley Blackthorne has got a lot failed to think aboutreturn home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her (dead) Father turned other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to warn take care of her about the impending attacksister who is unwell. So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, but just made him she feels frustrated and confused and Riley look guilty in the processworried. Riley doesn 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't care about thats house, along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, as she wants to know who reanimated discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her Father mum's old suitcase, and stole his bodyall across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Her bet is on Ozymandias, Is the creepiest of all painting somehow linked to the necromancers – plus gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she did tick him off.somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330519484</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gareth P JonesTania Unsworth|title=The Considine CurseNowhere Island|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fourteen-year-old Mariel Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and her mother emigrated find a home for himself. He is en route to Australia yet another fosterer, when she was very smallhe jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it ride him to his future. It's just That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the two directions of thema motorway, apart from her mother's succession of boyfriends, and Mariel has always believed they have no family and are alone in the world. Then one day her mother tells her that her maternal grandmother has died a place inaccessible and that they're going back definitely ignored enough to England provide for the funeraltheir safety and seclusion. And what's more Them, when she gets there she will meet her five uncles and six cousins for the first time since she was a baby. Mariel is both angry and mystified. Why did her mother keep the information about the family mute girl also finding a secret? What right did she have to deny Mariel the opportunity to belong to a big loving family group? And what was it about Grandma that made her mother hate her home there, albeit so much? But Mariel's mothermore successfully. Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, true to form, won't answer any of her questions, and relations between them remained strained throughout the book.or if this is one place where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408811510</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rob StevensHelen Peters|title=S.T.I.N.K.B.O.M.B.: Secret Team of Intrepid-Natured Kids Battling Odious Masterminds, BasicallyFriends and Traitors|rating=43
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Archie loves planesEngland, and WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is never happier than when his pilot father lets him take the controls of his Dragonfly 600 jet aircraftNancy, with its ability destined to hoverbe in service all her life it seems, move at five times like the speed of female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a helicopter hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and land cheese, and take off verticallyif 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 honourable tradition Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of the hidden herosecrecy, his slightly nerdy preoccupation talk is made of meetings with flyingGermans, and not to mention going round with chocolate-guzzling Barney who lives in only that, a dream-world of spieslocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, conspiracies and enemy agents, gets him bullied at school and nagged at by his teachers.the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330530240</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Adam GidwitzJamie Littler|title=A Tale Dark and GrimmArkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Not many books begin with the hero Two sisters, Juniper and heroine losing their heads (literally) before page thirty. And that's not the only misfortune Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to befall Hansel be chalk and his sistercheese. No sooner are their heads Juniper is an eager hunter and necks reunitedtrader in illicit magic, and they've fled their murderous parentsincluding 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, than perhaps even to become the two children find themselves child in front line to inherit the power of the Watcher, the closest to a ruler the district has, and one of an edible housethe five major victors in said earlier war. And we all know what happens if you eat Being trained in the magic that only five people's homescan use would definitely change the status of the whole family. But in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her own – for good, don't we? Wellor for very, maybe.very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849393702</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sam Osman024162343X|title=Serpent's Gold|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Most children probably know more about Hindu gods and Creation myths than they do about ley lines, so there is a whole wealth of new information and ideas to be found in this series of books about the adventures of Wolfie, Tala and Zi'ib. Ancient beliefs about stone circles and megaliths, magic circles, the Great Pyramid at Giza and the Knights Templar are linked through these mysterious lines with modern sites like Battersea Power Station and the Tate Modern as our three heroes battle the forces of wickedness.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407105760</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewStolen History|author=Lucinda Hare|title=Dragon Whisperer: Flight to Dragon IsleSathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Quenelda DeWinter is I was the twelve year old daughter of Earl Rufus DeWinter, bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the commander existence of a 'god'. Where was the Stealth Dragon Servicesproof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. As a member Not too long after the end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the nobility, Quenelda should be at GrimalkinBritish army's College for Young Ladies successes (and learning how occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to curtsey properly, like her jealous brother Darcybe called 'the colonies's fiancee, as want to dispute what right the army had to be there in the ladylike Armeliafirst place. However Looking back, Quenelda is a dragon whisperer, and can communicate both telepathically and through dreams with dragons, and her ambition is I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the maturity to enrol at approach 'the Stealth Dragon Services Battle Academy at Dragon Isleproblem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0552560235</amazonuk>
}}
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Mysterious things are afoot in Rose CottageMeet Trixie. It appears that some new miceForever getting into scrapes, one larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with golden teethfart powder, have moved into the kitchen and are threatening the tranquil lives she could almost be thought a young goddess of Tumtum and Nutmeg who live in Nutmouse Hallnuisance. After some investigation they discover But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the new mice are town mice, intent on causing troubleworld changes. Will the children discover who has been stealing their thingsSuddenly, or discover practically everything electronic stops working – a way to stop their father from selling Rose Cottage before itpower-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's too late in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and their livesall that powers the Internet, as well as Tumtum and Nutmegjust for our convenience'ssake). Trixie, luckily, are changed forever?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405256559</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=David Benedictus|title=Return to the Hundred Acre Wood|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Christopher Robin is back! At least that's realises what has happened – the Rumour spreading like wild fire through ancient Gods have taken the Hundred Acre Wood sayspower of power from us. He's returning for more adventures with Pooh and Piglet and Rabbit and Owl and Kanga and Roo and Tigger and Eeyore and, as I'm sure you'll agree And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that is a Very Good Thing. From exciting new friends (Lottie have past form in stealing from the Otter giving Kanga some welcome female company) to adventures and competitionsGods, with water slides to locateie the semi-deities, bees to relocategiants, books to write half-gods and schools to found, this book picks up where the previous one left off, and really does read like an organic 3rd part of a trilogy (poetry books excepted) rather than a tag so on that comes some 80-plus years after known as the original and from the pen of anothertricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405251603</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jackie Martin|title=Burglar Boy|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=''Burglar Boy'' opens with a big scene - Dean is halfway though robbing a house when the owner returns. Chased by an irate man with a good aim and a golf club, he barely makes it out in one piece. But he dutifully returns home and divvies up a pile of ill-gotten goods to Callum, his older brother, who rewards him for the risk and the bruises with a paltry fiver. Still, it's more pocket money than Dean is likely to see from his mother, who has lapsed further Hannah Gold and further into a bottle of vodka since her most recent boyfriend left. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1907552146</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Emma KennedyLevi Pinfold|title=Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Rascal's RevengeFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Wilma Tenderfoot[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, assistant to the great Detective Theodore Pa lot further north than many people would venture, and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. Goodman Back home, is off to solve another case with things on the help of domestic and family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for her loving dog, Pickleand so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was last left on. The future of Copper Island hangs in the balance, For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and Wilma thinks it's possible that she may just yet discover who her parents really are..wounded. Desperate to make sure youhe're sitting comfortablys OK, you won't want she and her father return to put this the Arctic and hope that in a world of very white and very dangerous things, she can find one down!specific white and dangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330535234</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Polly Conway Late one night Graham Blake is having to deal with rather a lot at late back from his shift on the moment. Her mum has got force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a fabulous new job – but it’s in Spain! That leaves Polly to live with her dad, her new stepmother who she can’t standsecret place, and her baby brother who’s just annoyingjoin him on the run. Depressed by the problems in her life They get together, she ignores her dad’s rules and turns but barely begin to smell the friend2friend website to find comfort. As she gets increasingly addicted to whiff of Southern trains when thesitefather is arrested, she starts to lose focus leaving Archie on the important things in her life – including her family late express to Brighton, toting a tin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and the Star Makers’ new productionbearer of a whole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409520919</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elliott SkellCath Howe|title=Neversuch House: Mask of the EvergonesMy Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The Halibuts are an extraordinary Ren's familyhome is destroyed in a fire. She, her parents, and her little brother lose everything. Almost two centuries ago She doesn't have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and now she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the Captain used his immense wealth foods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that the class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to buy up land display things that are important to them and surround it by show who they are as a high wallperson. He took But Ren has nothing to put in a wifebox, and employed families of servants so she finds herself starting to serve his every needsteal things. Money was no object Small things, and subsequent generations of Halibuts had anything they desired on one condition: if they ever left the grounds of the Housethings that people might not really miss, not when they could never returnhave so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847387446</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Diana Wynne JonesRob Keeley|title=Earwig The Boy Who Disappeared and the WitchOther Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Earwig lives at St Morwald's children's home. Unlike some orphans in literature she's perfectly happy there since she seems to have everyone answering her every whim, and she loves spending time Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with her best friend Custard. Things are soon a return to change though as one day a rather strange couple, Bella Yaga and the Mandrakeshort story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, come each as fun to look for a child to foster and the one they pick is Earwig!read as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007416857</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Francesca Simon and Pete WilliamsonLaura Noakes|title=The Parent Swap ShopCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=Ava's parents like Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to nagher friends. They nag her about her spellingThe practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in the ledger, about eating and they're all Unfortunates – young people with her knife and forkdisabilities, uncommon mentalities or sitting straight on her chair, or going suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to bed on time...nagbe known about where she came from, nagas the first ever inmate, nag! and unique in having no known family in the outside world. But then During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one day afternoon, she finds discovers a plan involving said outside world – a card advertising 'The Parent Swap Shop' devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. But why, and when her parents nag her one more time what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she packs them off and sets out to find herself a new set of parents!has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444002678</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip ArdaghAlice M Ross|title=The Eddie Dickens TrilogyNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Eddie DickensAt last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. Aged eleven years old, he's only been allowed to Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She also knows she should be away free from home twice in his life - once for worries about eight years on a boatbeing found out, when a crate of luggage went because she has the ability to school in his placeleave this world, and once for about three years. Now though he is being forced use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to move in with Mad Uncle Jack enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and Even Madder Aunt Maud, as his parents the buildings are very illgenerally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. But they're so deliriously bonkersWith eviction imminent, there's very little chance of him getting can Elsbeth nab anything to actually move in with them. generate custom at the shop? Who knows - he might even end up stuck in an orphanage instead?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571274692</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Alexander McCall Smith|title=Precious and Well yes, is the Monkeys|rating=4.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Someone has been stealing food at Precious' school. There are suspicions about who it might beanswer, but no one is sure so Precious sets out to try and discover the truth as to just where all those snacks are disappearing off to... fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846972043</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Suzanne LaFleurNatasha Farrant|title=Eight KeysThe Rescue of Ravenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=On moving to middle school, eleven year old EliseThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''s life takes a turn for Voyage of the worseSparrowhawk''. She's bullied by her cool Ravenwood is an old house, in the North of England, where Bea and popular locker-buddy AmandaRaffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, and embarrassed by as Bea is there with her best friend Franklin – who's decidedly uncool Uncle Leo, and certainly not popular – she's alsostruggling to cope Raffy is there with his mum, and they are living together as a family. They have grown up swimming in the new arrivals cove, roaming through the trees, completely at her home, Aunt Bessie's younger sister Annie one with all of the nature around the house and her baby daughter Avaloving every inch of the place. Just when she doesn't know how she can cope with everything But now the house is under threat, help arrives in as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the form of property to a strange key with her name on developer as it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. As she opens a door to The children find out themselves worrying not only about her pastwhere they're going to live, but if they'll even be together, Elise starts to realise that she can take control of her futureand if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141336064</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Morris GleitzmanRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Too Small to FailSecret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=OliverJayden's parents own an investment banknose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. They are very rich and also very busy and they need Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be in the city for out there. The problem, as their work. This means mothers see it, is that Oliver lives in a penthouse flatthey are never 'out there' themselves, largely in exploring the company outside world of Hackney, London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a succession of housekeepersscience-minded, educational purpose, and he canwith a past involving Jayden't have s cousin, they find a petmagical world they never knew existed. Of late For many of those mythological creatures are real, Oliver has been spending including the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a lot bit of local footage. The crew of time with his nose pressed up against the boat, including a pet shop windowliving gargoyle, falling are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in love . Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a black-painting, and-white dog that he knows he'll never be able to take home.become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241955203</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=James RollinsB09XWSXSKY|title=Jake Ransom Maestro Orpheus and the Howling SphinxWorld Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=James Rollins has hit upon a truly brilliant premise in this series. People and creatures from our world have been transported at various times to a savageFrederick (or Fred, prehistoric place called Calypsosbut never Freddy, and in the first volumeplease) couldn't sleep. A tune, [[Jake Ransom and rather like the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins|Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow]] Jake ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his sister find themselves suddenly whisked mind. It happened every time he came to a city where Romans, Mayans, Neanderthals and groups from many other societies, places and eras live more or less peaceably side by sidevisit his grandfather. Their archaeologist parents disappeared three years before He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, and the two young peoplehe's struggles to survive, ten now and all those old clocks don't appeal to defeat Kalverum Rex, the Skull King, go side by side with their hope of finding a trace there of their mother and fatherhim anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444000853</amazonuk>}}
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kallie George and Abigail HalpinNigel Baines|title=The Melancholic MermaidA Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Maude is a mermaid who was born with two tailsCooper loves to perform magic tricks. Her parents tell her it makes her specialHis father was a magician, stronger and faster, but amongst named Cooper after the other mermaid children it makes her an outcastgreat Tommy Cooper. She is lonelyBut sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, and she longs for a friend. Feeling sorry for herself one day she isnnow Cooper doesn't paying attention and she is captured by a fisherman quite know who sells her to a circus. On the same day that Maude was bornbe, Tony was born in a cottage by the seaor how to be. He has webbed hands and, like Maude, is teased at school and left lonely and sad. His parents send And when his dad's prop rabbit starts talking to 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...''really'' doesn't know what's going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1897476531</amazonuk>1444960261
}}
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