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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Steve ColeMax Boucherat|title= Invisible Inc.The Last Life of Lori Mills|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= So, youWe meet Lori on the first evening she've gone invisible, s got the end of the world is nigh, and the bad guys have kidnapped your mum (as they do). Who are you going house to herself – no neighbour to call? Nopepop in, not those guys (orbabysitter poorly, in the more recent filmmother at work, gals) although there are a fair few notjust an avidly rule-quite-ghosts floating around breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in this story. In facta blanket fort, dear readersshe has one main intention, your dream team and that is to stop log on to Voxminer, the baddie and save the planet (honestlyworld-building, the number of times poor old Earth critter-collecting game that is a hit in danger in stories for young people, itLori's world. But first Lori has a wonder we get any sleep at nights) is a Victorian lady inventortiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, a five-hundred-year-old warrior knight and his trusty steedthen she finds something even more spooky. For the server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. Well When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, actuallyand her safe place in the game has been doctored – well, it's where is a pony, but let's not get technical.girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857078763</amazonuk>0008666482

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip Reeve Kieran Larwood and Sarah McIntyreJoe Todd-Stanton|title=Jinks & O'Hare Funfair RepairDungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|summary=Meet EmilyKit. She's your typical young girlLike most of the people in his world, it seems, except she's he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a little bit team of a tomboy. Ohwarrior, mage and she's got a tail. Ohhealer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and she was born from an egg that was left on a ride on race to the exit, perhaps bothering with the treasure or the huge theme park that is Funfair Moon big bad and when she hatched she grew up in the Lost Property Office with ''a sort of giant alien octopus'' as surrogate motherpoints they grant you along the way. But apart from that sheUnfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's a typical young girl. She likes hanging round with seen of the latest race on the two weird creatures – inn TV equivalent is that one that's hairless and greenteam has been retired, with eyes on stalkseaten, and another that's like the plumpest Wookie – that maintain Funfair Moona new trio of questors is needed. But today there's more than routine repair work Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to be done – but the way Emily throws herself into solving goading from the drastic list token bully of problems is typical of younghis world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, thoughtfulmuscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, enterprising girls everywhere. But is it enoughand how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>019273458X</amazonuk>1839945184

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David SolomonsJames Sherwood Metts|title=My Gym Teacher is An Alien Overlord (My Brother is a Superhero) Planet Storyland|rating=34.5

|summary=Luke Parker is just an ordinary kid (unless you count his obsessions with comic book superheroes)Things have been a bit sticky for the Earthlings. While he has no special skills or talents, Luke has to put up with the fact that his brother AI and best friend both automation have superpowers. Zack is 'Star Lad' while Lara is the slightly more rubbish superherobeen proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they'Dark Flutter'. Luke has always wanted re paid to save the world do and now he's about other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get his chance. He discovers that an alien mothership is in orbit over his home town (Bromley) used to all this technological change and they plan starting to take over the world as part think of other, new ways to spend time, along came an alien reality TV showawful pandemic. To make matters worseLife was pretty much shut down and, along with it, all the aliens have chosen to disguise themselves in the most terrifying form possible – many daily social interactions on which they all look exactly like his gym teacher. Sadly, however, no-one is prepared to believe Luke that his gym teacher is really an Alien Overlorddepend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857637339</amazonuk>1736128426

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Neil Gaiman and Chris RiddellTom Percival|title=Odd and the Frost GiantsThe Wrong Shoes

|summary=Odd Will's life is a young Viking boy. His father died difficult, in a raid not so long backmultitude of ways. While trying to emulate He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, and his woodcutter father - Vikings werendad can't full-time Vikingswork because he lost his job at the college, you know: they all had other jobs was working a cash- in -hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the woods, Odd got too enthusiastic with an axe and a falling tree crushed fact that his leg. With a dead husband mum and a crippled sondad are separated, Oddand Will's mother had little choice but to remarrylife seems bleak in every direction. And what with his strange habit yet, he still has a tiny amount of smiling hope. He is good at art, and clings to the wrong time and his crippled legmoments of joy when he is drawing, Odd isn't well-liked, either by his stepfather or that feel like a light at the rest end of the villagea long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408870606</amazonuk>1398527122

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Siobhan Parkinson1805141872|title= Miraculous MirandaThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= It's Old Bear's birthdaySeventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, and so all but only Ben knows the other toys are planning something. In fact lots of somethings: giftstruth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a cakesafecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, a proper celebrationMiss Judson and Ben go on the run. But Al needs them for one last job.. It's wonderful. Elsie the elephant has even ''made'' him a present Goodness me, the talented little thing. But then, as we soon find out, Elsie that Miss Judson is good at many things: wrapping presents, baking cakes, blowing up balloons, singing. It's a lovely sunny day, so the toys gather outside but just as they finish setting things up, and just as Old Bear arrives, disaster strikesterror! Can the toys have How on earth did a happy ending and find time nice teacher like her manage to finish Old Bearget mixed up with a bad 's partyun like Al?Miranda is a small girl with a big - no, a huge - imaginationWe'll find out. She writes storiesLuckily for Miss Judson, tells jokes using wordplay and the pupil who discovers her favourite part of school terrible secret is the Word of the Day competitionBen, which she almost always wins. Unless best friend Caroline O'Rourke aka COR or annoying boy-in-the-class Darren Hoey pinches one son of Miranda's words and pips her at the post that waya famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, that is. Miranda is also quite soppy and emotional, unlike COR, who thinks Miss Judson is sporty and blunt.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444929070</amazonuk>worth saving

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Michelle HarrisonChristopher Edge|title= The Other AliceBlack Hole Cinema Club|rating= 4|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Alice hasn't met her traveller father very often, but there's one rule he always impresses upon her: never, ever leave a story unfinished. And Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a gifted writer like Alicemovie marathon at their local cinema, a place that's easy – until she tackles a full-length novel and realises her imagination has dried up. She's a long way into the story before she discovers she has no idea how to finish it. And then she starts seeing shadows out of the corner of her eye, shapes that flit away into the dark as soon as she turns to look at them.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471124274</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Zillah Bethell|title= A Whisper of Horses|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=''A Whisper nickname of Horses'The Black Hole' is set in a dystopian future. All big movie fans, where most living things have been long since eradicated by they'the Gases.' The few remaining survivors try re looking forward to eke out a living in the ruined city lots of Lahn Danexciting films, split into three distinct class groups: Lead (Pb)and many, Copper (Cu) and Gold (Au). Serendipitymany snacks! However, a young Pb girl has always been fascinated by as the statues movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, and artworks in they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But as they lurch from one film genre to the citynext, which depict riders can they figure out what on majestic horses. Of course, she has never seen a real horse; no-one has. When Serendipity finds a map that hints that there may still be horses living in 'Grey Britan'earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the cinema, she makes the brave decision to try and escape the walled city to go in search of her dream.their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848125348</amazonuk>1839942738

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dan SmithAdam Stower|title=Boy XMurray and Bun

|summary=When Ash McCarthy wakes up in some sort 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 medical facility he immediately knows something is wrongthe two. But he doesn't suspect just how much until he steps outside and finds himself on s a remote tropical island. Then he smells the blood and begins to find the bodies. A deadly virus bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been released turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, andthe catflap they both use can chuck them out, to make matters worsenot into the regular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventure and whiffs. This time round it's being taken off the island to be sold as drops them into a Viking land, where a weapon that could wipe out humanity. The antidote troll hunter is being taken with it andexpected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, unless Ash can stop them within 24 hoursto be honest, everyone on the island who has been infected (including Ashbut he's mum) will die.turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1909489042</amazonuk>0008561249

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah BakerAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Through the Mirror Door The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=4.5

|summary= Angela doesn't like her Aunt or cousins but living them Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with has to better than him, and in the evening a helper at the series of children's homes she's had to put up dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives withhis lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the family. She A few short years ago, Eli'sparents were both lost to the titular race, therefore, determined a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to bite her tongue and behave like an angel when she's invited to join their family holiday navigate the world in Francethe company of a magical beast. Her cousins don't make this easy but Angela soon This has bigger concerns made the race anathema to occupy her mind the pair – namely but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with the mysterious boy on sole aim the other side prize of magic at the Mirror Door and end – the fact that he appears only thing to be dying, alone and uncared for in 1898possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1910611034</amazonuk>0571382231

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michelle PaverHelen Cooper|title=Warrior Bronze (Gods and Warriors Book 5) The Taming of the Cat|rating=3.5

|summary=Hooray Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and boohoo! The final instalment of Michelle Paverin case you's Gods re seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and Warriors series has arrived. This series is set in therefore all the Bronze Age amid names used here seem to be the Greek civilisations names of the mainland (Mycenaean) and Crete (Minoan)cheeses. Our two central characters represent both: Hylas, the boy searching for his sister Anyway, Brie is Mycenaeanshunned, scorned and Pirra, if you must, mous-tracised, for the daughter of a high priestess, is Minoanway his habits don't match the other mice he lives with. Together, they are trying to defeat They nibble up paper wrapping from the evil Crows who are ravaging lands far cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and widemakes stories based on the visuals on it. But to do And thatstory-telling will come in handy one night, they need when he feels all alone and cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to retrieve keep themselves alive. This makes Brie the dagger of Kronos from deep inside Crow territory. If they failtop dog in the mouse community, though, as all the others had the evil gods known as chance to half-inch some cheese while the Angry Ones cat was distracted. But will rule all the land and all story have the people.successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141339357</amazonuk>0571376010

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mark LoweryLauren St John|title=The Chicken Nugget AmbushFinding Wonder|rating=54

|summary=Roman Garstang Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and his class are embarking now she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by the police banging on their school residential trip her door to Farm View Outdoor Survival Centre. Events leading up to departure day mean than Roman is not all tell her that excited about the visit - mostly due her dad has dropped dead on his way to the jam doughnut incident which in turn leads corner shop to buy a solely chicken nugget diet prescribed by his doctorlottery ticket. Well When asked what other family she has, not exactly prescribed by his doctorshe can only name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of. But she has no one else, but this was the message his mum chose and so off she goes to hearlive with her unreliable aunt. A typical school residential setting provides the backdrop Things continue to get worse for exploring childrenRoo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's relationship when they are away from home. Some of his class mates are fully prepared for the tripold campervan, others shudder at it breaks down in the thought of a bit middle of mud in their finger nails nowhere and a stereotypical survival 'expert' in Mad Dan leads the children on their adventure.then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848124848</amazonuk>0571376169

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chas Strathie Adam Baron and Anna ChernyshovaBenji Davies|title=Captain FirebeardOscar's School for PiratesLion|rating=4.53

|summary=How do you become We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a pirate? couple of times before he has to be ready for school. IBut when he enters his parents'm guessing you just fall into the job – after bedroom, allhe sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, with only so many waterways and so much treasure to go round, youadmitting that he won'd never have one pirate teaching t be hungry for another all he knows, would you? two days. Well, in But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the world of this book you would – bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the most peculiar-looking pirate ship is the ''Rusty Barnacle''other month. And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to school and it is, as youcan get him out of a problem. And it'd guesss wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, where Captain Firebeard teaches his pupils in being much more lax about the language rules, and history of piratesso on. But have innocent TommyOK, nervous Milton and gung-ho tomboy Jo bitten off more than they it can chew? Or 't work a dimmer switch but it can their plans to surprise their teachers actually bring home the loot?give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407163396</amazonuk>0008596751

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Laura BarwickJudith Eagle|title=Animal BabiesThe Stolen Songbird|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=LetCaro's face it: with mother, a fluffy lion cub on the coverworld-famous whistler, inviting readers has failed to take a peek insidereturn home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, only the most hard-hearted of individuals could resist the temptation is having to pick go up ''Animal Babies'' North to explore the further delights within its pagestake care of her sister who is unwell. Once hooked So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, the reader she feels frustrated and confused and worried. All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is rewarded 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 visual feast mystery, as she discovers a painting of adorable baby creaturesa bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, each page seemingly cuter than and all across London a fearsome gang called the lastSnakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1785941003</amazonuk>0571363148

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Timo ParvelaTania Unsworth|title= Bicycling to the MoonNowhere Island|rating= 4.5|genre= For SharingConfident Readers|summary= Bicycling Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – the Moon system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a home for himself. He is a series en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it ride him to his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of short stories which all centre around two main characters: Purdy the cat and Dexter the dog who live together belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a sky-blue house camp on an island between the top two directions of a hillmotorway, a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. Purdy is Them, and a mute girl also finding a somewhat selfish cat who demonstrates rather impulsive behaviour and is always rushing aroundhome there, whereas Baxter is albeit so much more refinedsuccessfully. Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, thoughtful and or if this is careful to make the right choices. Each story works one place where life as an individual tale which could be read out of order; however there is a seasonal progression to the order of the book.we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1776570324</amazonuk>1804540080

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Claire FayersHelen Peters|title= The Accidental Pirates: Voyage to Magical NorthFriends and Traitors|rating= 53|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Brine leads a typical Cinderella existenceEngland, being a lonely orphan who spends her dreary life cleaning and tidying up after a tetchy wizard and his equally bad-tempered apprentice PeterWW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. But then One is Nancy, destined to be in the way of service all excellent storiesher life it seems, things go seriously wrong and like the two young people have to flee their islandfemale generations before her. It's The other is Sidney, a girl from a totalhoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, horrible disaster: they get lost at sea together and if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only stop arguing about whose fault prove it was when so. But something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination theyrealise the Lord Evesham must be a rum 're picked up by a crew un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of bloodthirsty meetings with Germans, and ruthless pirates on not only that, a ship called local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the Onion (due to an unfortunate spelling mistake at girls are wrong, and the sign-maker's).upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447290607</amazonuk>1788004647

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Steve ColeJamie Littler|title= Mind WriterArkspire|rating= 4|genre= Dyslexia FriendlyConfident Readers|summary= Everyone knows what a mind reader can do Two sisters, Juniper and Luke Mellows has this amazing talentElodie, born fifteen minutes apart, or maybe it is a gift. He uses this are growing to great effect be chalk and for his own entertainmentcheese. Knowing what the teacher Juniper is thinking can be incredibly useful an eager hunter and can be used for amusing classroom anticstrader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Luke thought it was only him who had this gift, however when he meets Samira he soon realises that there Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one skill that can be of the religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even more powerful than his – a mind writer. Being able to change what become the child in line to inherit the power of the Watcher, the closest to a person will think can be a powerful ruler the district has, and dangerous skillone of the five major victors in said earlier war. When Being trained in the mind reader and mind writer come together Luke soon learns magic that there is a much darker and sinister situation occurring than he could ever have imaginedonly five people can 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, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>178112583X</amazonuk>0241586143

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Geraldine Mills024162343X|title= Gold|rating= 5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=Twins Starn and Esper are growing up in a world made dark and silent by massive volcanic explosions. Ash now covers the planet and every aspect of life is controlled by the government, policed by the strict, heavy-handed Sagittars. They long for sunshine, fresh air and the freedom of a life only vaguely remembered by a few. But a game of dares leads them to discover an ancient book written by their great-great aunt, filled with strange writing and a treasure map. This propels them headlong into a journey across the darkened skies in a hand-built glider, in search of the gold that will vastly improve their lives. What they find there is a hidden world; one left behind when the volcanoes exploded. The revelation of the gold is not at all what they thought it would be, and is a discovery that could expose the governments' lies and save a dying planet.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910411558</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewStolen History|author=Libby Walden|title=In Focus: 101 Close Ups, Cross-Sections and CutawaysSathnam Sanghera|rating=45

|summary=Only recently I've had reason to applaud a children's non-fiction book for concentrating on showing its audience what they have no hope to see – in that case, the underground and underwater worlds, from the shallowest plant roots to was the deepest oceanic explorations and everything in betweenbad company other people got into at school. Other unseen worlds are all around us, however – they're what goes on on I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the inside existence of things – inside a pocket watch (remember them'god'. Where was the proof?) In history lessons, inside a yurt, a space shuttle, a volcano, a toilet… it was probably worse still. This pleasant square block Not too long after the end of book not only gives us WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the outside image British army's successes (and a captionoccasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' as want to dispute what right the full story of army had to be there in the innardsfirst place. Looking back, meaning I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the maturity to approach 'the young reader is certainly going where theyproblem've never been before…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184857505X</amazonuk>politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Katrina CharmanThiago de Moraes|title= Trouble at the Cat Cafe (Poppy's Place)Old Gods New Tricks|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=Meet 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. But just when she''Trouble at s being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the Cat Café'' is world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the second book in town the ''Poppyschool's Place'' series about a family who adopt a number of homeless cats in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and decide to open a Japanese-style cat café. We meet up with Isla and her family as they are making all that powers the final preparations Internet, just for their grand opening which will see their dream become a realityour convenience's sake). There is still so much work to do Trixie, and more importantlyluckily, they still realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. And so she begins her epic quest, to pass gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the allcharacters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, giants, half-important council inspectiongods and so on known as the tricksters. Will everything be ready for the grand opening on Saturday?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847157157</amazonuk>178845295X

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=S A Wakefield Hannah Gold and Desmond DigbyLevi Pinfold|title=The Adventures of Bottersnikes and GumblesFinding Bear|rating=34.5

|summary=I [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had an impoverished childhood. I only had the one ''Bottersnikes and Gumbles'' book, when there could have been three of them on my shelf – and a fourth collected when it came out in 1990 while I was at sixth form. If you haven't met the species involvedBear Island, here's a summary. Gumbles are like Tribbleslot further north than many people would venture, or ''Doctor Who'' Adipose creatures – impossibly cute little things, pure bundles of joy and pleasure, who like nothing better than having fun finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with each other, perhaps on the sandy edge of one of the many creeks in the Outbacka polar bear – that she called Bear. Bottersnikes are largerBack home, reptilian things, with bristles on the end of their long tales, domestic and ears that heat up and glow bright red when they're angry. They're also exceedingly wickedfamily front are a bit advanced, and lazy, and if they're but not sleeping on a rubbish dump they're trying to boss each other about. It's very unfortunate then, perfect for the Gumblesher, that the Bottersnikes soon see the critters and so can easily be useful – they can boss them about instead, and ignored when word comes through from the Gumbles have done all the hard work they can be smashed into a pancake shape and dumped in an old tin can til they're needed again.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0008205795</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Justin Fisher|title= Ned's Circus of Marvels|rating= 5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=Ned is an ordinary boy; in fact he is less than ordinaryislands Bear was last left on. His life is dull For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and he is quite unnoticeablewounded. His dad is overly protective: Desperate to make sure he is the dad who wraps his child up in cotton wool and then adds a layer of bubble wrap for good measure. Ned barely leaves the house's OK, only to school, but then he must be back on time otherwise his dad would worry she and start her father return to panic. Not the ideal life for a boy just about to turn 13. However, Arctic and hope that in a frantic moment world of disbeliefvery white and very dangerous things, Ned's life changes in an instant with a glimpse of two clowns at his door. Everything he knew of himself, his dad she can find one specific white and his family is turned upside down. In a barrage of confusion dangerous thing – and panic intertwined with a dramatic car chase, that the comfortable world as Ned knows it has changed forever. Ned is not who he thinks his is - he is so much more, and ordinary? Not one little bitfriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0008124523</amazonuk>0008582017

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean UreSimon Fox|title=The Snow GlobeDeadlock

|genre=Dyslexia FriendlyConfident Readers|summary=Abi's family's circumstances changed very Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, and then suddenly. She had been rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a pupil at a very good girl's school (with a stylish uniform) secret place, and went horse riding and to dance classes at join him on the weekendrun. The family homeThey get together, was spacious and in a pleasant neighbourhood. When but barely begin to smell the whiff of Southern trains when the family business went under they had to sell father is arrested, leaving Archie on the house and move late express to something smaller. The horse riding and dance classes went and school was a big comprehensive - with boys and Brighton, toting a dull, grey uniform. Worst of all she tin his father was moving determined to keep away from her best friendhis colleagues, Jennyand the bearer of a whole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781125945</amazonuk>1839944420

{{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Bone SparrowCath Howe|authortitle=Zana FraillonMy Life on Fire

|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=Subhi Ren's family home is ten years old. He has lived his whole life destroyed in a detention centre for refugees in Australiafire. He is Rohingya She, her parents, and his mother her little brother lose everything. She doesn't have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and sister fled persecution in their native Burma while his mother was expecting him. They left Subhinow she is living at her grandmother's father behind and are waiting for him house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the foods they normally eat. When she goes back to join them. Subhi believes school she discovers that his father is sending him secret messages contained in tokens that wash up from the Great Sea class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of his imagination. And these tokens mean a great deal their lives, to display things that are important to Subhi because the camp isn't them and show who they are as a very nice placeperson. His tent sleeps fifty people. The food is inedible. Water runs out on But Ren has nothing to put in a regular basis. There's no school because the classroom burned downbox, and so she finds herself starting to steal things. And the guards? Well Small things, with the exception of Harveythings that people might not really miss, not when they are not very nice peoplehave so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1510101543</amazonuk>1839942835

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Jennifer BellRob Keeley|title= The Uncommoners: The Crooked SixpenceBoy Who Disappeared and Other Stories|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= What exactly happened all those years ago when Granma had that car accident and lost her memory? Why Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is the man back with the withered hands sneaking in and out of hospital rooms? And why is the policeman standing outside their house brandishing a . . . toilet brush? In this, return to the first in a series of three books about short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven-year-old Ivy and her fourteen-year-old brother Seb, we explore the mystery of the land beneath Londonnew tales, and why Ivy's family is so crucial each as fun to the future of life in both worldsread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552572500</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rose Lagercrantz and Eva ErikssonLaura Noakes|title= Life According to DaniCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating=54|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=Meet Dani – and if you haven't throughout [[:Category:Rose Lagercrantz and Eva Eriksson|the three previous books]] then you certainly shouldNumber One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Her life has been up and downOr rather, considering just Cos to her friends. The practice in the home she's only lives in is for the girls to just finished be named by the number they correspond to in the first year of primary schoolledger, but at the moment itand they's on the upre all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, with caveatsuncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. She's in an idyllic place – staying with But Cosima bears the best friend imaginable for the entire summer holidaystag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, on what might as well be a private islandthe first ever inmate, and unique in having no known family in constant contact with her fatherthe outside world. The caveats concern what happened in [[When I Am Happiest by Rose Lagercrantz and Eva Eriksson|book three]] and During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the fact that her father has been run overkitchen one afternoon, but at least he calls every night at teatimeshe discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. UntilBut why, and what does that is, body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the night that he doesn't…past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1776570715</amazonuk>0008579059

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Francesco D'AdamoAlice M Ross|title= Oh, Freedom!The Nowhere Thief|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=''I don't want my children to grow up as slaves…'' Oh, Freedom, set At last there is new stock in 1850 Alabama, follows the journey of a black cottonimpoverished yet over-picking family as they attempt full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a perilous journey to Canada in search of freedomseaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. Before their escapeShe also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, they simply existed as slaves living on a plantation under because she has the ownership ability to leave this world, and use an unworldly portal of the infamous Captain Archer - a white man who, kaleidoscope colours to their eyesenter other worlds, owned where the world. The family knew nothing else of the world except toiling the land under the watchful master's gaze sea levels are rising dramatically and whip from dusk till dawn. One early evening in May 1850, the family buildings are visited by a mysterious stranger known only as Peg Leg Joe who carried a large bottle generally empty of beer, a banjo humans and a promise of freedomripe for plunder. He becomes With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the family's guide to lead them from shop? Well yes, is the plantation along answer, but the Underground Railroad; in search of Canada for fact a life they have barely dared to dream of. The family knew of mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only one thing: the journey would be fraught with danger which Francesco D'Adamo captures brilliantly with his atmospheric writing style.raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1850772851</amazonuk>1839943769

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jacqueline Wilson Natasha Farrant|title=Rent a Bridesmaid The Rescue of Ravenwood

|summary=This story starts with a dress – a beautiful bridesmaid dress is another excellent adventure from the colour author of ''Voyage of raspberry ice creamthe Sparrowhawk''. The dress belongs to Tilly's best friend Matty but Matty Ravenwood is an old house, in the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a tomboy andcomplex, extended family arrangement, as soon as Bea is there with her aunt's wedding Uncle Leo, and Raffy is overthere with his mum, she gives and they are living together as a family. They have grown up swimming in the dress cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and loving every inch of the place. But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to Tilly. It's Tilly's dream sell the property to be a bridesmaid but she doesn't know anyone whodeveloper as it's likely becoming more and more expensive to get marriedmaintain. That The children find themselves worrying not only about where they's why she and Matty dream up the perfect solution: re going to live, but if they advertise in case anyone wants to rent-a-bridesmaid. And it works. Tilly is invited to 'll even be bridesmaid at three very different weddings. She even ends up being featured on television. This television news report proves to together, and if Ravenwood itself will be important as it sparks a chain of events that help Tilly finally deal with the other issues in her lifetorn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857532723</amazonuk>0571348785

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Tom PalmerRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title= WingsSecret Beast Club: SpitfireThe Unicorns of Silver Street|rating= 4|genre=Dyslexia FriendlyConfident Readers|summary= Greg Jayden's nose is fed up with playing forever in goala book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. He reckons things only happen Aisha is addicted to you her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The other players get to make them happen. The summer school isnproblem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 't turning out how hethere'd hoped at allthemselves, exploring the outside world of Hackney, London. The old airfield next to the school freaks Greg out … but But when he starts on a model narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of an old Spitfirethose mythological creatures are real, heincluding the one Aisha thinks she's propelled into an adventure that will really show him what it means seen on a bit of local footage. The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to take control …join in. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781125368</amazonuk>0241573483

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Simon MayoB09XWSXSKY|title=BlameMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=Frederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn''t sleep. A small hand tune, rather like the ticking of a clock was playing over and over in hershis mind. It happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. He hadn'Is it our faultt really wanted to come; after all, he's ten now and all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the time. And time isn' Abi said nothingt good for anything...'' These tender words show  And that was why he was looking at the situationclock beside the bed. Ant (a teenaged girl) It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it but to go and Mattie (her younger brother) are innocent and in a prison – HMP London, no less. find grandad - but where was he? Since And why had all the death clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?}}{{Frontpage|author=Nigel Baines|title=A Tricky Kind of the EU and Magic|rating=4.5|genre=Emerging Readers|summary=Cooper loves to perform magic tricks. His father was a huge, all-conquering recession, people are being imprisoned leftmagician, right and centre for named Cooper after the crimes of their parents great Tommy Cooper. But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, and their parents in turnnow Cooper doesn't quite know who to be, meaning anyone with any slightly dodgy firm or habit in their family that might have taken money away from the common good is having their children imprisonedhow to be. And even though Ant and Mattie are when his dad's prop rabbit starts talking to him, he 'legitimately'really' in there, due to their parents' activities, theydoesn've since been adopted by people who have themselves been accused and imprisoned, thus making them real tabloid-fodder as the worst criminal family in Britain. Surely, then, theret know what's no hope?going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552569070</amazonuk>1444960261