Changes

[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Siobhan Dowd and Emma ShoardMax Boucherat|title= The Pavee and the Buffer GirlLast Life of Lori Mills|rating= 4.5|genre= Graphic NovelsConfident Readers|summary=When JimWe meet Lori on the first evening she's family halt got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at Dundraywork, his heart grows heavyjust an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. A new Buffer school for this Pavee boy What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and that is to log on to attend. Jim doesnVoxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori't like schools world. He But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't like Buffers. And you knowfind herself entirely on her own, you couldn't really blame him because the distrust and suspicion is mutualthen she finds something even more spooky. Prejudice against For the Traveller community is strong server she and when Jim her bestie and his cousins turn nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on their first dayher phone screen, it's to stares and muttered insults from her safe place in the pupils and condescension from the teachers. Within daysgame has been doctored – well, Moss Cunningham and his gang have accused Jim of stealing where is a CD - he did no such thing - and have begun a campaign of threats, bullying and worse.girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1911370049</amazonuk>0008666482

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Clare HibbertKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Moments in History that Changed the WorldDungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=One Meet Kit. Like most of the problems people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a team of warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and race to the exit, perhaps bothering with presenting humankindthe treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. Unfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's history as a timeline seen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that not one team has been retired, eaten, and a lot happened at perfectly identified timesnew trio of questors is needed. Of course we can pinpoint when Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the US Declaration token bully of Independence was signedhis world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, or when Poland was invaded muscle-free-zone have in September 1939actually managing that, but when (and even why) the Maya cities died outhow could he possibly hope to succeed? We don't know|isbn=1839945184}}{{Frontpage|author=James Sherwood Metts|title=Planet Storyland|rating=4. How do you pin 5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Things have been a date to bit sticky for the RenaissanceEarthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, or the invention often replacing jobs they're paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of the modern city? This book may aim other, new ways to be a portrayal of key moments in spend time, but even along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, along with it admits you have to be vague in itemising the specific days and dates. Get over that, and all the pages are packed with informationmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0712356703</amazonuk>1736128426

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ali Sparkes Tom Percival|title=Thunderstruck The Wrong Shoes|rating=45

|summary=Alisha and new boy, TheoWill's life is difficult, are both struggling to fit in at Beechwood Juniora multitude of ways. However He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', they soon become celebrities when theyhe has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn're struck by lightning on sports day. Now everyone wants to be their friend – including all t have enough money for even the ghosts who haunt Easthampton. Having several thousands most basic of volts skipped through their nervous systems has made both Alisha things like food, and Theo unusually sensitive to his dad can't work because he lost his job at the spirit worldcollege, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. The pair Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are happy to make friends with two teenage ghosts from the 1970s (Doug separated, and Lizzie) but Alisha Will's life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. He is good at art, and Theo are much less keen on clings to the faceless grey entities moments of joy when he is drawing, that start following them around. It's almost feel like a light at the ghosts are trying to tell them something – trying to warn them about something that's going to happenend of a long, dark tunnel. Will Alisha and Theo be able to figure out what before it's too late?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192739360</amazonuk>1398527122

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Abi Elphinstone1805141872|title= The Night SpinnerTeacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= ''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The finalpolice are baffled, and in my opinion but only Ben knows the besttruth – his Maths teacher, book in the Dream Snatcher trilogy opens with Moll Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and Gryff back in Tanglefern Forest about to embark her gangster boyfriend Al on their quest to find the last Amulet of Truth trail, Miss Judson and defeat Ben go on the terrible Shadowmasks and their dark magic once and run. But Al needs them for allone last job. Their adventure begins ..'' Goodness me, that Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a night time journey by train to bad 'un like Al? We'll find out. Luckily for Miss Judson, the far north where Moll and pupil who discovers her friends must brave terrible secret is Ben, the barren northern wildernessson of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, scale mountainous peaks, defeat goblins, bog-monsters, witches and giants while the sinister and evil Shadowmasks lurk unseen but always present. All the time Moll clings to the faint hope that her friend Alfie who thinks Miss Judson is not lost to them for ever. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471146057</amazonuk>worth saving

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=E K JohnstonChristopher Edge|title=Star Wars: AhsokaBlack Hole Cinema Club

|summary=The problem with having Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a past is the worry it causes in the presentmovie marathon at their local cinema, and a place that has the risk nickname of it turning into your future'The Black Hole'. Ahsoka has certainly had a past – she was with Obi-Wan Kenobi All big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of exciting films, and was Padawan to Anakin Skywalker. many, many snacks! While able to experience However, as the Forcemovie starts, she was not a full Jedithey very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, but still suffers survivorand they are swept up into an adventure they couldn's guilt after Order 66 wiped her kind outt even imagine. She is forced But as they lurch from one film genre to hide deep in the Outer Rim of the galaxy, under an assumed namenext, can they figure out what on earth is going on a tiny farming moon. ? But lo Will they ever get back to the cinema, and behold the Imperial nasties still seem to find her, even if by accident...their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140528790X</amazonuk>1839942738

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Abby Hanlon Adam Stower|title=Dory Fantasmagory Murray and Bun

|summary=Dory – known as 'Rascal' – Murray is the little one in her family. She'd love supposed to play with her older sisterbe a humble, Violettidy and friendly cat, one who is able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and her brother, Lukewell, but they both think Dory is too much whatever takes his fancy next of a baby. They find her very irritating, from the way she sees monsters everywhere to her constant stream of questionstwo. That But he's why they decide theya bad magician've got to think of something that will force Dory to grow up. Violet comes up with s cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the perfect idea – catflap they tell Dory about Mrs Gobble Cracker (both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a five hundred year old robber who steels baby girlsworld of frightening adventure and whiffs.) They tell Dory that the only way to escape Mrs Gobble Cracker is to stop acting like such This time round it drops them into a baby. Their schemeViking land, howeverwhere a troll hunter is expected – well, quickly backfires and they get one much more bigger than they bargained for. Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571325580</amazonuk>0008561249

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chloe DaykinAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Fish BoyThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a 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 navigate the world in the company of a magical beast. This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|isbn=0571382231}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Cooper|title=The Taming of the Cat|rating=3.5

|summary=Billy is struggling at schoolOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. He's being picked on by In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the school bully cat – and hein case you's starting re seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to feel very alonebe the names of cheeses. His mum Anyway, Brie is sickshunned, although nobody seems to know whatscorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don's wrong t match the other mice he lives with her. She has been sick They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for a long time meaning bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the visuals on it. And that she can't workstory-telling will come in handy one night, so Billywhen he feels all alone and cast out. It's dad is working extra hours almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to try tell stories to keep the family afloat and Billy is frequently left to fend for himselfthemselves alive. His only escape is in watching his favourite, David Attenborough, or in swimming This makes Brie the top dog in the sea. One daymouse community, howeverthough, things take a magical turn as whilst swimming Billy meets a mackerel who speaks to him! This, combined with all the others had the entrance of a new boy at school, starts chance to change Billy's life in half-inch some rather unexpected wayscheese while the cat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571328229</amazonuk>0571376010

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jack ChengLauren St John|title=See You in the CosmosFinding Wonder|rating=54|genre=Teens Confident Readers|summary=Meet AlexRoo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. He's just elevenHer mum died when she was young, but is sure he has and now she finds herself awoken in the responsibility age middle of a thirteen year old. He'll prove this the night by taking the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his rocket ''Voyager 3'' and his dog Carl Sagan on an Amtrak train way to the desert corner shop to buy a launch festival for hobbyist rocket-makers – and all without the help of the adult brother he lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only knows now from phone callsname her aunt, his seemingly comatose couch potato motherJoni, and the father he was told died when Alex was three years oldwho she knows her dad didn't think very highly of. This book is a transcript of verbal essays and conversations he But she has made to put in his rocket to send to the starsno one else, and so aliens can learn about life on earth in 2017off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. The fact that we're able Things continue to find out whatget worse for Roo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's on old campervan, it does seem to suggest a failure with ''Voyager 3'', but as for finding out about life – we can only suppose breaks down in the lad is a bit more successful…middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141365609</amazonuk>0571376169

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Garth NixAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Frogkisser!Oscar's Lion|rating=2.53|genre=Confident Readers |summary=Trallonia We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is in troublemore likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to be ready for school. ItBut when he enters his parents's bedroom, all he sees is a kingdom – a very small onemahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, mind – with no real leadershipand admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. Three months away from becoming queen in her own right is But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the older princess, Morven, but she's besotted with each and every prince bully that comes ruined a-wooing, and would probably only want birthday party for Oscar the pretty frocks side of reigningother month. Ruler regent at the moment is the second husband And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to the girls' stepmother (ie stepstepfather) school and all round Bad Egg, Rikardit can get him out of a problem. HeAnd it's building wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his influence on biscuit intake, being much more lax about the landrules, and increasing his magical power, turning all kinds of people into all kinds of animalsso on. All of which means younger princessOK, Anya, will have to go on one of those capital letter-deserving Quests, to find it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a remedy for such species-swapping, and muster an army to keep Rikard from the thronewonderful time. But even that hugely important demand might be swamped by what is really troubling the world…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848126018</amazonuk>0008596751

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Holly Webb and Jason CockcroftJudith Eagle|title=The Moonlight Statue (The Hounds of Penhallow Hall)Stolen Songbird

|summary=When Polly and her mum move Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to Penhallow Hall Polly hopes that it will be an escape return home from the continual reminders that her dadrecent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, who diedRonnie, is no longer with them. With having to go up North to take care of her mum's new job at the hall comes a fresh start for both of themsister who is unwell. Polly, however, So who is left going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her own devices a lot of the timemother despises, feeling lonely as she's wandering around the hall feels frustrated and confused and grounds during the summer holidaysworried. She had previously been sleepwalking in All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, so she's worried when along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. But she soon finds herself wandering the grounds during the nightcaught up in a mystery, and when as she sees one of the stone statues discovers a painting of a dog come to lifebird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, she is unsure if she is awake or dreaming! and all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. How does this mysterious dog come Is the painting somehow linked to lifethe gang? And why are there canine guardians for what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the children of Penhallow Hallmystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847156606</amazonuk>0571363148

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Nathan HaleTania Unsworth|title=One Trick PonyNowhere Island

|genre=Graphic Novels Confident Readers|summary=Forget the moon being made of cheeseMeet Gil. Just twelve, here he is so determined to escape the Earth looks like it's a huge dollop of care system – the finest Swiss stuff. Horrid, giant insectoid alien things have taken over, system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and they have zapped anything technological they can find – pumping a blob of something over ithome for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, and turning whatever turns up in the resulting spheres when he jumps into sandan anonymous car, or carting and lets it off ride him to larger shipshis future. Our heroes belong That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a travelling caravan camp on an island between the two directions of a villagemotorway, keeping intact as much human knowledge as they can (think a digital version of those readers in ''Fahrenheit 451''), but they've left place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their compatriots behind to go exploringsafety and seclusion. They'll never expect to find Them, and a mute girl also finding a magicalhome there, wondrousalbeit so much more successfully. Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, robotic horse, though – which or if this is one place where their problems begin…life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1419721283</amazonuk>1804540080

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Martin Jenkins and Stephen BiestyHelen Peters|title=Exploring Space: From Galileo to the Mars Rover Friends and BeyondTraitors|rating=53|genre=Children's Non-Fiction Confident Readers|summary=I take it as read that you know some of the history of space explorationEngland, even if WW2. Two young girls are new at the young person you buy books for doesn't know it allcountry pile called Stanbrook. So I won't go into the extremes reached by the ''Voyager'' space craftOne is Nancy, and the processes we needed destined to be expert in service all her life it seems, like the female generations before we could launch anythingher. You probably have some inkling of how we learnt The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that we're not the centre of everything – the gradual discovery of how curved the planet washas been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, and how other things orbited other things in turn proving if we are not hadn't guessed that around which everything revolvesthen their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. What you might not be so genned up on But something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the history of books conveying all this to Lord Evesham must be a young audiencerum 'un. When I was a nipper they were stately textsMidnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with a few accurate diagrams – if you were lucky. For a long time nowGermans, howeverand not only that, they've a local Spitfire factory has been anything but stately, and often aren't worried about accuracy as such in their visual designattacked. They certainly long ago shod But surely the boringgirls are wrong, plain white page. Until now…and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406360082</amazonuk>1788004647

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joy Cowley and Gavin BishopJamie Littler|title=Helper and HelperArkspire

|summary=Snake Two sisters, Juniper and LizardElodie, after deciding not born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to eat or be eaten by the other, have set up their business designed to help other animals in needchalk and cheese. But they need a new sign for their premisesJuniper is an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, and work done to including relics from prior major wars left out in the entrance burrowBadlands. But what name goes first Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the advertreligious districts of Arkspire, and who is perhaps even to become the child in line to do inherit the labour for power of the Watcher, the expansion? Those arguments done – and there will be arguments aplenty before this book is out – they find closest to a rival ruler the district has stolen all their traffic, and one of the five major victors in said earlier war. Can they get any business back to their door? A rabbit Being trained in the magic that's too pale for only five people can use would definitely change the status of the desert lifewhole family. But in finding something oddly magical, critters in need Juniper might just be able to gain some power of a bed her own – for the nightgood, and even one wondering if the world is flat or roundfor very, all prove they can. It's a hard life being such unlikely partners…very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1776571053</amazonuk>0241586143

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Tom Palmer and Garry Parsons024162343X|title=Secret FCStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=45|genre=Dyslexia FriendlyChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Meet Lily, Maddie, Zack, Khal, and James and BattsI was the bad company other people got into at school. They all go to I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a school together – and they do it eagerly, as their inner city life is so devoid of nature and the open space that the playground is the only room large enough for football'god'. But lo and behold Where was the new head teacher has banned all ball gamesproof? In history lessons, on health and safety groundsit was probably worse still. How do these friends get over their disappointment? WhyNot too long after the end of WWII, with imaginationI didn't so much want to learn about the British army's successes (and occasional failures, hard work and a firm belief that but we didn't dwell on those) in what theycame to be called 'the colonies're doing is as want to dispute what right, is how – they convert a rotting tennis court handily hidden the army had to be there in the school's woods into a pitchfirst place. Looking back, where after a lot of labours they can play I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the maturity to their heartapproach 'the problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's content''Stolen History''. Or so they think…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781126879</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Meg RosoffThiago de Moraes|title=Good Dog McTavishOld Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5

|summary=McTavish did wonder whether he was making a mistake in adopting the Peachey family: it was a decision which came from the heart rather than the headMeet Trixie. You see Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the Peacheys were dysfunctional: Ma Peachey, an accountant by profession, decided that she was fed up school aircon with chasing around after an ungrateful familyfart powder, so she resigned and dedicated herself to her yoga with half could almost be thought a hint young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's being told that she might also dedicate herself to by her yoga teacherone-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. She gave up cookingSuddenly, cleaningpractically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, bakingeven of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, washing and all that powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the other things which kept ancient Gods have taken the family going, such as finding lost keys and getting people out power of bed so that they got to wherever they were going on timepower from us. And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the family? Wellpeople that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, they had no idea of how to copeie the semi-deities, giants, with one exceptionhalf-gods and so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781126836</amazonuk>178845295X

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Julia LeeHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title= Nancy Parker's Spooky SpeculationsFinding Bear|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Nancy Parker[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], likeable maidservantApril had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and part-time super sleuthfinding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, returns in this enjoyable mystery story set in 1920. Nancy is delighted to be rescued from her job things on the fruit domestic and vegetable market stall family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for her, and so can easily be ignored when she is offered word comes through from the job of housemaid at an old house by the sea thanks to her old friend Ella who lives nearbyislands Bear was last left on. However strange noises For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and bumps in the night coupled with ghostly appearances soon disturb Nancywounded. Desperate to make sure he's contentment. The two friends team up OK, she and decide her father return to investigate the mysterious happenings. However all does not go smoothly for our young heroines as they cope with unfriendly neighboursArctic and hope that in a world of very white and very dangerous things, spooky cellars she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and Nancy's kindly but eccentric bossthat the friendship can continue. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192746979</amazonuk>0008582017

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean UreSimon Fox|title=Born to Dance (Dance Trilogy 1)Deadlock

|summary=Maddy O'Brien Late one night Graham Blake is just eleven years old late back from his shift on the force, and her life revolves around ballet dancing. It's not surprising really: her father is a leading choreographerthen suddenly rings Archie, her mother was demanding he fetch something from a ballerina but now runs her own ballet schoolsecret place, her brother, Sean, has just been promoted to soloist and her sister Jen might be having a baby but she was in join him on the business toorun. Maddy's enthusiasm for ballet isn't They get together, but barely begin to smell the usual passing interest which many young girls have - she's longing whiff of Southern trains when the father is arrested, leaving Archie on the late express to be off Brighton, toting a tin his father was determined to ballet school full time. In the meantime she keep away from his colleagues, and a couple of her friends are looking over the new arrivals at their school and Maddy is convinced that one bearer of them is a ballet dancer. Only Caitlyn is ''adamant'' that she's not and quite definite that she doesn't go to classeswhole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0008164525</amazonuk>1839944420

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellCath Howe|title=The Misadventures of Max Crumbly: Locker HeroMy Life on Fire|rating=4.5

|summary=We start this book introducing us to Max Crumbly in the dark. Literally – I don't mean as regards knowing very little about him and it. ItRen's clearly a diary-styled, heavily pictorial, light read for a young audience, but we're in the dark as regards Max because ''he'' family home is destroyed in the darka fire. School bully Thug Thurston has locked him in his lockerShe, her parents, and heher little brother lose everything. She doesn's scribbling a goodbye to the world in his journalt have any of her clothes, with the help or any of a handy pocket torch. Over an extended flashback – a flashback that would never really work otherwise in a diaryher special little knick-styled book – we see more of who Max is. He's buddy to the boyf of Nikki Maxwell knacks from this author's other seriesher cupboard, and now she is a friendless yet cool chap living at his middle school, which heher grandmother's riding out – complete with Thug – because the alternative is his granhouse where they can's version of home-schoolingt touch anything, or do anything, which is much worseor even eat the foods they normally eat. But when When she goes back to school she discovers that the lockerclass are doing a special art project, official notes creating boxes of his attending latetheir lives, to display things that are important to them and show who they are as a person. But Ren has nothing to put in a box, and problems with classroom beauty Erin all conspire so she finds herself starting to make Max hate school even moresteal things. Small things, you things that people might just expect him to change his mindnot really miss, not when they have so much already. But events here what will more than make up his resolve…happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471144623</amazonuk>1839942835

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom Moorhouse and Holly SwainRob Keeley|title=The New Adventures of Mr Toad: A Race for Toad HallBoy Who Disappeared and Other Stories|rating=3.54

|summary=''Poop-poopHooray!'' Yes, that must be Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to the most inaccurate representation of the noise a toad makes. But of course, it's not just ''a toad'', but Mr Toad – Toad of Toad Hall. short story format! The irrepressible juvenile driver, thrusting himself into the Edwardian era, and scaring the bejaysus out of his friends, Moley, Ratty and Badger. But he's long gone. Toad Hall is a shell – a ruin compared Boy Who Disappeared treats us to what it once was. Stumbling into its underground regions (don't ask) are Mo, Ratty and TJ – Toad Junioreleven new tales, in full – and what they're about each as fun to discover will shock them. But that's nothing compared to the shock that what they find will face, for Mr Toad will be revived after a century of being frozen, and not like what he finds one bitread as his previous offerings. Apart, that is, from the modern cars…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192746731</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lucy WorsleyLaura Noakes|title= My Name is VictoriaCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating= 4|genre= Confident Readers|summary=Miss V is Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the daughter of Sir John Conroy. Sir John Conroy home she lives in is for the comptroller of girls to just be named by the household of number they correspond to in the widowed Duchess of Kentledger, and they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. And But Cosima bears the widowed Duchess of Kent is mother tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the young Princess Victoriafirst ever inmate, who will go on and unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a daring escapade to be steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one of Britain's most memorable monarchs. Miss V is also called Victoria - wellafternoon, Victoire actually - but distinctions of rank are important, especially when one of you will become she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a queendevilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. But why, and what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408882019</amazonuk>0008579059

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Trenton Lee StewartAlice M Ross|title= The Secret KeepersNowhere Thief|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary=Reuben At last there is a small boy growing up with his mum new stock in a big city the impoverished yet over-full of injustice antiques shop Elsbeth and fearher mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. The family have little money and working two jobs means that Reuben's mum trusts him to She also knows she should be on his own a lot. For a young child Reuben develops a lot of independencefree from worries about being found out, which really helps him when he finds an unusual and precious object and decides because she has the ability to try to uncover its secret. He hopes it might be valuable leave this world, and dreams use an unworldly portal of being able kaleidoscope colours to buy his mum her ideal home. Unfortunately there is someone else also looking for enter other worlds, where the object sea levels are rising dramatically and Reuben enters into a dangerous game the buildings are generally empty of hide humans and seek as he dares ripe for plunder. With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to take on actually generate custom at the most powerful and ruthless shop? Well yes, is the answer, but the fact a mysterious man in the cityknows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1911077287</amazonuk>1839943769

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lisa ThompsonNatasha Farrant|title=The Goldfish BoyRescue of Ravenwood

|summary=Matthew has OCDThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Not that he knows that's what it Ravenwood isan old house, in the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. He just likes things cleanThey are part of a complex, he really hates germsextended family arrangement, or going outsideas Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and he feels safest upstairs in Raffy is there with his room mum, and they are living together as a family. They have grown up swimming in the front bedroomcove, where he can control roaming through the dirttrees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and where he can watch everything that's going on outside, making notes on his neighbours' activitiesloving every inch of the place. When a little boy, TeddyBut now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from next door goes missing one day, it turns out that Matthew was his other two brothers to sell the last person property to see him, a developer as it's becoming more and with all of his neighbours as suspects Matthew struggles against his crippling anxieties in order more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to try live, but if they'll even be together, and uncover the truth of what happened to Teddyif Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407170996</amazonuk>0571348785

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gwynedd Rae Robin Birch and Clara VulliamyJobe Anderson|title=All Mary (Mary Plain 2)Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street

|summary=Mary Jayden's nose is growing up forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and going out into unicorns of the world, for example. Which you Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might expect be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the outside world of Hackney, London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a young girl in societyscience-minded, educational purpose, but this is and with a young girl past involving Jayden''bear'' in societys cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. StillFor many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's finding seen on a bit of local footage. The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the Ps rare critters – and Qs and her manners are equally as important as our daughters wouldthe kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in. But when she's told to be Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her best behaviour relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and she thinks it is something to sit upon, is there any hopebecome saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405281235</amazonuk>0241573483

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=B09XWSXSKY|title=Gwynedd Rae Maestro Orpheus and Clara Vulliamythe World Clock|titleauthor=Mostly Mary (Mary Plain 1)Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|summary=Meet Mary PlainFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. She's a bearA tune, living in a pit in rather like the Swiss city ticking of Berne, a clock was playing over and bears have been there as a tradition for centuriesover in his mind. It happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. SheHe hadn's not been there longt really wanted to come; after all, for shehe's just an exuberant, slightly stroppy ten now and definitely naïve, little cub, trying all those old clocks don't appeal to catch up to her two slightly-older cousins, loving life with her aunt and uncle, and him anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the time. And time isn't good for anything...'' And that was why he was looking at the clock beside the generations above thembed. SheIt was nearly twelve o's got a lot clock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it but to learn about life, however – from how snow go and ice change her world to what sitting on sticky paint can mean. find grandad - but where was he? Oh And why had all the innocence of little tykes – such as these books were written for.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405281227</amazonuk>clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Katherine WoodfineNigel Baines|title= The Painted Dragon (The Sinclair's Mysteries)A Tricky Kind of Magic|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Emerging Readers|summary= Ornate hatsCooper loves to perform magic tricks. His father was a magician, the best cigars, fine foods and delicate perfumes – Mr Sinclair offers it all in his wondrous new department store, a marvel never before seen on named Cooper after the streets of Londongreat Tommy Cooper. Comfort But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, refinement and luxury aboundnow Cooper doesn't quite know who to be, with smoking roomsor how to be. And when his dad's prop rabbit starts talking to him, tea rooms and even an art gallery to excite and intrigue the he ''really''haut mondedoesn't know what' as they examine the merchandise and chatter their days away. But beneath the wealth lies something more sinister, and once again Sophie and Lil find themselves solving a complicated and multi-layered mystery. s going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405282894</amazonuk>1444960261