Changes

[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Yuval ZommerMax Boucherat|title=The Big Book Last Life of Beasts (Big Books)Lori Mills

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=One of We meet Lori on the many issues people have with first evening she's got the TV nature programmehouse to herself – no neighbour to pop in, such as [[Planet Earth II by Stephen Moss|Planet Earth II]]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, is the obvious she has one of all the blood main intention, and guts it features – yesthat is to log on to Voxminer, in amongst all the cutesyworld-building, comical animal life are creatures eating other creatures (normally the cutesy, comical ones, whatcritter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's worse)world. You'll be pleased to know, however, But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this book is very light stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on death her own, and destructionthen she finds something even more spooky. Yes, here are lions sharing some chunks of meat (while For the females that caught server she and killed it sit her bestie and wait their turn), here are salmon seemingly willingly flying towards brown bearsnobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and here is a red fox stashing a dead mouse while her safe place in a time of plentythe game has been doctored – well, but there where is so little a girl to make this even a PG book – it will be perfect for the home shelf or that in a primary school.turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>050065106X</amazonuk>0008666482

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ulf Nilsson Kieran Larwood and Gitte SpeeJoe Todd-Stanton|title=A Case in Any CaseDungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|summary=The [[Detective Gordon: The First Case by Ulf Nilsson and Gitte Spee|last time]] we saw Meet Kit. Like most of the toad called Detective Gordon at work people in his world, it seems, he had is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a mouse colleague in team of warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and race to the forest police exit, perhaps bothering with him, the treasure or the big bad and in fact the two were so close points they often shared a bed in grant you along the old prison cells togetherway. But now Gordon has practically retiredUnfortunately for Kit, and the mouse, Police Chief Buffy, is doing all the work herself. Itonly thing he's quite scary work, tooseen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, when something horrideaten, nasty and slightly smelling a new trio of toad questors is rootling around the police station at nightneeded. But when Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the two are together theregoading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he's no stopping themll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, and any crime can be solved – which is probably how could he possibly hope to succeed?|isbn=1839945184}}{{Frontpage|author=James Sherwood Metts|title=Planet Storyland|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Things have been a very good thing when not one but two bit sticky for the Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, 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 other, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, along with it, all the forest babies go missing…many daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1776571096</amazonuk>1736128426

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kenneth Oppel and Jon KlassenTom Percival|title=The NestWrong Shoes

|summary=Steven can narrate this book to us, but he can hardly ever mention the name of his newborn baby brother. ThatWill's not down to life is difficult, in a fault with Steven, although there are many multitude of those – obsessive hand-washing, nightmares, anxiety attacksways. It's He is bullied because therehe has 's something the wrong with shoes', he has the new addition to wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn't have enough money for even the family. His parents mutter behind closed bedroom doors most basic of regretting trying for things like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the college, was working a new child so late cash-in life, but whatever the reason there is something demanding -hand job on a lot of medical care building site and attention, even if the child can more or less live in the family homehad an accident. But hope seems to be shining a light Throw into Steven from that mix the most unlikely source – angels fact that come to visit him in his dreamsmum and dad are separated, from within a pleasant, light-filled haven, with full knowledge of the familyand Will's troubles and an offer life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of a way outhope. ObviouslyHe is good at art, worried for and clings to the happiness moments of his familyjoy when he is drawing, and knowing this is just that feel like a dream, Steven will only say yes to light at the offer end of help…a long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1910200875</amazonuk>1398527122

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1805141872|title=Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers The Teacher Who Changed the WorldKnew Too Much|author=Rachel IgnotofskyRob Keeley|rating=4.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=''Women in Science'' takes fifty prominent women in STEM fields Seventeen banks and celebrates their achievementsa jeweller’s have been raided. There The police are women from baffled, but only Ben knows the ancient world truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and women working todayher gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Ben go on the run. Each of But Al needs them for one last job...'' Goodness me, that Miss Judson is given a double page spread including a stylised portrait and infoboxes with factoids terror! How on one side and earth did a page of text nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a brief biography and outline of her achievementsbad 'un like Al? We'll find out. These intrepid women are inspirational Luckily for their work Miss Judson, the pupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, the son of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, and their discoveries but also for the barriers they overcame - barred from classes or employment because they were women or even barred from employment because they were black in racially segregated America.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1526360519</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Heather Alexander and Andres LozanoChristopher Edge|title=Life on Earth: Farm: With 100 Questions and 70 Lift-flaps!Black Hole Cinema Club

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=I'm sure I was full of questions when I was Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a nipper – which means I was too full place that has the nickname of questions'The Black Hole'. Parents just donAll big movie fans, they't need re looking forward to be deflecting questions all the timelots of exciting films, and many, do they? many snacks! Living on the edge of a village in However, as the middle of nowhere as I didmovie starts, I knew quite a lot they very quickly realise that something about farms and farming – that this new film format is very different animals gave different results, that different vehicles meant different things and that the crops behind our house changedthey are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But for as they lurch from one film genre to the inner city childnext, there can they figure out what on earth is a chance going on? Will they have never met a cow or seen a silo. This colourful book, bright in both senses of ever get back to the wordcinema, will allow the very young reader the opportunity of and to their own fantasy trip to the working countryside.real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847808999</amazonuk>1839942738

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Heather Alexander and Andres LozanoAdam Stower|title=Life on Earth: Human Body: With 100 Questions Murray and 70 Lift-flaps!Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Children's Non-Fiction Confident Readers |summary=I wonder how much time I've saved in not being Murray is supposed to be a parent – humble, tidy and therefore not having had friendly cat, one who is able to answer such pesky questions as why is the sky bluesleep and eat and eat and sleep and, where did I come fromwell, where does my wee come fromwhatever takes his fancy next of the two. But he's a bad magician's cat, what is earwaxso his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and why do I have a spleen? Stillthe catflap they both use can chuck them out, apart from not into the first tworegular back garden, those questions but into a world of frightening adventure and the answers to whiffs. This time round it drops them and more are in this bookinto a Viking land, which where a troll hunter is a lovely primer for biologyexpected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and a great source of quick facts for the very young, all presented with an addictive lift-the-flap approach.he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847809006</amazonuk>0008561249

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Siobhan Dowd Alex Bell and Emma ShoardTim McDonagh|title= The Pavee and the Buffer GirlGlorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating= 54|genre= Graphic NovelsConfident Readers|summary=When Jim's family halt 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 Dundray, the dessert cafe his heart grows heavygran owns and runs. A new Buffer school Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for this Pavee boy to attendthere is a generation missing in the family. Jim doesn A few short years ago, Eli't like school. He doesn't like Buffers. And you knows parents were both lost to the titular race, you couldn't really blame him because a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the distrust and suspicion is mutualcompany of a magical beast. Prejudice against This has made the Traveller community is strong and race anathema to the pair – but when Jim and a bad incident at the eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his cousins turn up on their first dayonly hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, it's to stares and muttered insults from with the pupils and condescension from sole aim the teachers. Within days, Moss Cunningham and his gang have accused Jim prize of stealing a CD - he did no such magic at the end – the only thing - and have begun a campaign of threats, bullying and worseto possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1911370049</amazonuk>0571382231

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Clare HibbertHelen Cooper|title=Moments in History that Changed The Taming of the WorldCat|rating=43.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=One of Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the problems with presenting humankindcat – and in case you's history as re seeing a timeline is that not connection, they live in a lot happened at perfectly identified timescheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. Of course we can pinpoint when the US Declaration of Independence was signedAnyway, or when Poland was invaded in September 1939Brie is shunned, but when (scorned and even why) , if you must, mous-tracised, for the Maya cities died out? We way his habits don't knowmatch the other mice he lives with. How do you pin a date to They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the Renaissancevisuals on it. And that story-telling will come in handy one night, or the invention of the modern city? 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 keep themselves alive. This book may aim to be a portrayal of key moments makes Brie the top dog in timethe mouse community, but even it admits you have though, as all the others had the chance to be vague in itemising half-inch some cheese while the specific days and datescat was distracted. Get over But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that, and the pages are packed with information.cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0712356703</amazonuk>0571376010

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ali Sparkes Lauren St John|title=Thunderstruck Finding Wonder

|summary=Alisha Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and new boy, Theo, are both struggling to fit now she finds herself awoken in at Beechwood Junior. However, they soon become celebrities when they're struck the middle of the night by lightning the police banging on sports day. Now everyone wants her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to be their friend – including all the ghosts corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, who haunt Easthamptonshe knows her dad didn't think very highly of. Having several thousands of volts skipped through their nervous systems But she has made both Alisha no one else, and Theo unusually sensitive so off she goes to the spirit worldlive with her unreliable aunt. The pair are happy Things continue to make friends with two teenage ghosts from the 1970s (Doug get worse for Roo, as when she and Lizzie) but Alisha and Theo are much less keen on the faceless grey entities that start following them around. ItJoni leave London in Joni's almost like old campervan, it breaks down in the ghosts are trying to tell them something – trying to warn them about something that's going to happen. Will Alisha middle of nowhere and Theo be able to figure out what before it's too late?then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192739360</amazonuk>0571376169

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Abi ElphinstoneAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title= The Night SpinnerOscar's Lion|rating= 53|genre= Confident Readers|summary= The finalWe start incredibly bluntly, and in my opinion the bestwith Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book in the Dream Snatcher trilogy opens with Moll a couple of times before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and Gryff back in Tanglefern Forest admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. about But there are benefits to embark on their quest having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to find the last Amulet of Truth and defeat bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the terrible Shadowmasks other month. And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to school and their dark magic once and for allit can get him out of a problem. Their adventure begins with a night time journey by train And it's wonderful to have around the far north where Moll and her friends must brave house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the barren northern wildernessrules, scale mountainous peaksand so on. OK, defeat goblins, bog-monsters, witches and giants while the sinister and evil Shadowmasks lurk unseen it can't work a dimmer switch but always present. All the it can give Oscar a wonderful time Moll clings to the faint hope that her friend Alfie is not lost to them for ever. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471146057</amazonuk>0008596751

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=E K JohnstonJudith Eagle|title=Star Wars: AhsokaThe Stolen Songbird

|summary=The problem with having Caro's mother, a past world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is the worry it causes in the presentnow missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, and the risk is having to go up North to take care of it turning into your futureher sister who is unwell. Ahsoka So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has certainly had a past – heard her mother despises, she was with Obi-Wan Kenobi, feels frustrated and confused and was Padawan to Anakin Skywalkerworried. While able All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to experience the Force, a halt whilst she was not a full Jedi, but still suffers survivoris stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's guilt after Order 66 wiped her kind outhouse, along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. She is forced to hide deep But she soon finds herself caught up in the Outer Rim a mystery, as she discovers a painting of the galaxya bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, under an assumed name, on and all across London a tiny farming moonfearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. But lo and behold Is the painting somehow linked to the Imperial nasties still seem gang? And what has happened to find her, even if by accident...Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140528790X</amazonuk>0571363148

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Abby Hanlon Tania Unsworth|title=Dory Fantasmagory Nowhere Island

|genre=Confident Readers |summary=Dory – known as 'Rascal' Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – is the little one system that constantly puts him in her familyfutureless places that are not homes – and find a home for himself. She'd love He is en route to play with her older sisteryet another fosterer, Violetwhen he jumps into an anonymous car, and her lets it ride him to his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brotherin a camp on an island between the two directions of a motorway, Lukea place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. Them, but they both think Dory is too and a mute girl also finding a home there, albeit so much of more successfully. Over a babyfew weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or if this is one place where life as we would want it just would not work…|isbn=1804540080}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Peters|title=Friends and Traitors|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=England, WW2. They find Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her very irritatinglife it seems, from like the way she sees monsters everywhere to female generations before her constant stream of questions. That's why they decide they've got to think of something The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that will force Dory to grow uphas been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. Violet comes up with the perfect idea – they tell Dory about Mrs Gobble Cracker (a five hundred year old robber who steels baby The girls.) They tell Dory are chalk and cheese, and if we hadn't guessed that the then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only way to escape Mrs Gobble Cracker prove it so. But something is to stop acting like such amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a babyrum 'un. Their scheme Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, howevertalk is made of meetings with Germans, quickly backfires and they get much more than they bargained fornot only that, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571325580</amazonuk>1788004647

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chloe DaykinJamie Littler|title=Fish BoyArkspire|rating=4.5

|summary=Billy is struggling at school. He's being picked on by the school bully Two sisters, Juniper and he's starting Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to feel very alonebe chalk and cheese. His mum Juniper is sickan eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, although nobody seems to know what's wrong with herincluding relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. She has been sick for a long time meaning that she can't work, so Billy's dad Elodie is working extra hours intent on getting closer to try power in one of the religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even to keep become the family afloat and Billy is frequently left child in line to fend for himself. His only escape is in watching his favouriteinherit the power of the Watcher, David Attenboroughthe closest to a ruler the district has, or and one of the five major victors in swimming said earlier war. Being trained in the seamagic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the whole family. One day, howeverBut in finding something oddly magical, things take a magical turn as whilst swimming Billy meets a mackerel who speaks Juniper might just be able to him! Thisgain some power of her own – for good, combined with the entrance of a new boy at schoolor for very, starts to change Billy's life in some rather unexpected ways.very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571328229</amazonuk>0241586143

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jack Cheng024162343X|title=See You in the CosmosStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera

|genre=Teens Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Meet AlexI was the bad company other people got into at school. He's just eleven, but is sure he has I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the responsibility age existence of a thirteen year old'god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. HeNot too long after the end of WWII, I didn'll prove this by taking his rocket t so much want to learn about the British army's successes (and occasional failures, but we didn'Voyager 3t dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' and his dog Carl Sagan on an Amtrak train as want to dispute what right the desert army had to a launch festival for hobbyist rocket-makers – and all without be there in the help of the adult brother he only knows now from phone callsfirst place. Looking back, his seemingly comatose couch potato mother, and I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the father he was told died when Alex was three years old. This book is a transcript of verbal essays and conversations he has made to put in his rocket to send maturity to approach 'the stars, so aliens can learn about life on earth in 2017problem' politely. The fact that weI wish I're able to find out whatd had Sathnam Sanghera's on it does seem to suggest a failure with ''Voyager 3Stolen History'', but as for finding out about life – we can only suppose the lad is a bit more successful…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141365609</amazonuk>.

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Garth NixThiago de Moraes|title=Frogkisser!Old Gods New Tricks|rating=24.5|genre=Confident Readers |summary=Trallonia is in troubleMeet Trixie. It's a kingdom – a very small oneForever getting into scrapes, mind – larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with no real leadershipfart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. Three months away from becoming queen in her own right is the older princess, Morven, but But just when she's besotted with each and every prince being told that comes aby her one-last-chance-wooinggiving headteacher, and would probably only want the pretty frocks side of reigningworld changes. Ruler regent at Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the moment is town the second husband to school's in but the girls' stepmother entire planet (ie stepstepfather) apart from mobile phones, and all round Bad Eggthat powers the Internet, Rikardjust for our convenience's sake). He's building his influence on Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the land, and increasing his magical power, turning all kinds of people into all kinds of animalspower from us. All of which means younger princessAnd so she begins her epic quest, Anyato gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, will have to go on one of those capital letterie the semi-deserving Questsdeities, to find a remedy for such speciesgiants, half-swapping, gods and muster an army to keep Rikard from so on known as the thronetricksters. But even that hugely important demand might be swamped by what is really troubling the world…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848126018</amazonuk>178845295X

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Holly Webb Hannah Gold and Jason CockcroftLevi Pinfold|title=The Moonlight Statue (The Hounds of Penhallow Hall)Finding Bear|rating=4.5

|summary=When Polly and her mum move to Penhallow Hall Polly hopes that it will be an escape from the continual reminders that her dad[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, who dieda lot further north than many people would venture, is no longer and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with thema polar bear – that she called Bear. With her mum's new job at Back home, things on the hall comes domestic and family front are a fresh start bit advanced, but not perfect for both of them. Polly, however, is left to her own devices a lot of the time, feeling lonely as she's wandering around the hall and grounds during so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the summer holidaysislands Bear was last left on. She had previously For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been sleepwalking in her old house, so sheshot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he's worried when OK, she finds herself wandering and her father return to the grounds during the night, Arctic and when she sees one hope that in a world of the stone statues of a dog come to lifevery white and very dangerous things, she is unsure if she is awake or dreaming! How does this mysterious dog come to life? And why are there canine guardians for can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the children of Penhallow Hall?friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847156606</amazonuk>0008582017

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Nathan HaleSimon Fox|title=One Trick PonyDeadlock

|genre=Graphic Novels Confident Readers|summary=Forget Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the moon being made of cheeseforce, and then suddenly rings Archie, here the Earth looks like it's demanding he fetch something from a huge dollop of secret place, and join him on the finest Swiss stuffrun. HorridThey get together, giant insectoid alien things have taken overbut barely begin to smell the whiff of Southern trains when the father is arrested, and they have zapped anything technological they can find – pumping leaving Archie on the late express to Brighton, toting a blob of something over ittin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and turning whatever turns up in the resulting spheres into sand, or carting it off to larger ships. Our heroes belong to a travelling caravan bearer of a village, keeping intact as much human knowledge as they can (think a digital version whole heap of those readers in ''Fahrenheit 451''), but they've left their compatriots behind to go exploringquestions. They'll never expect to find a magical, wondrous, robotic horse, though – which is where their problems begin…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1419721283</amazonuk>1839944420

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Martin Jenkins and Stephen BiestyCath Howe|title=Exploring Space: From Galileo to the Mars Rover and BeyondMy Life on Fire

|genre=Children's Non-Fiction Confident Readers|summary=I take it as read that you know some of the history of space explorationRen's family home is destroyed in a fire. She, her parents, even if the young person you buy books for doesn't know it alland her little brother lose everything. So I wonShe doesn't go into the extremes reached by the 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'Voyager'' space craftt touch anything, or do anything, and or even eat the processes we needed to be expert in before we could launch anythingfoods they normally eat. You probably have some inkling of how we learnt When she goes back to school she discovers that we're not the centre class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of everything – the gradual discovery of how curved the planet wastheir lives, and how other to display things orbited other things in turn proving we that are not that around which everything revolves. What you might not be so genned up on is the history of books conveying all this important to them and show who they are as a young audienceperson. When I was But Ren has nothing to put in a nipper they were stately textsbox, with a few accurate diagrams – if you were luckyand so she finds herself starting to steal things. For a long time nowSmall things, howeverthings that people might not really miss, not when they've been anything but stately, and often aren't worried about accuracy as such in their visual designhave so much already. They certainly long ago shod the boring, plain white page. Until now…But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406360082</amazonuk>1839942835

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joy Cowley and Gavin BishopRob Keeley|title=Helper The Boy Who Disappeared and HelperOther Stories

|summary=Snake and Lizard, after deciding not Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to eat or be eaten by the other, have set up their business designed short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to help other animals in need. But they need a eleven new sign for their premisestales, and work done each as fun to the entrance burrowread as his previous offerings. But what name goes first on the advert, and who is to do the labour for the expansion? Those arguments done – and there will be arguments aplenty before this book is out – they find a rival has stolen all their traffic. Can they get any business back to their door? A rabbit that's too pale for the desert life, critters in need of a bed for the night, and even one wondering if the world is flat or round, all prove they can. It's a hard life being such unlikely partners…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1776571053</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom Palmer and Garry ParsonsLaura Noakes|title=Secret FCCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star

|genre=Dyslexia FriendlyConfident Readers|summary=Meet LilyNumber One. Or rather, MaddieCosima Unfortunate. Or rather, Zack, Khal, and James and Battsjust Cos to her friends. They all go The practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to a school together – in the ledger, and they do it eagerly're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, as their inner city life is so devoid of nature and the open space uncommon mentalities or suchlike that the playground is the only room large enough for footballVictorian society frowns greatly upon. But lo and behold Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the new head teacher has banned all ball gamesfirst ever inmate, on health and safety groundsunique in having no known family in the outside world. How do these friends get over their disappointment? Why, with imaginationDuring a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, hard work and she discovers a firm belief that what they're doing is right, is how plan involving said outside world – they convert a rotting tennis court handily hidden in devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the school's woods into a pitchgirls for his Institute. But why, where after a lot of labours they can play and what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to their heart's content. Or the past she has so they think…little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781126879</amazonuk>0008579059

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Meg RosoffAlice M Ross|title=Good Dog McTavishThe Nowhere Thief|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=At last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, because she has the ability to leave this world, and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the buildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the shop? Well yes, is the answer, but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|isbn=1839943769}}{{Frontpage|author=Natasha Farrant|title=The Rescue of Ravenwood

|summary=McTavish did wonder whether he was making a mistake in adopting the Peachey family: it was a decision which came This story is another excellent adventure from the heart rather than author of ''Voyage of the headSparrowhawk''. You see Ravenwood is an old house, in the Peacheys were dysfunctional: Ma PeacheyNorth of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a complex, an accountant by professionextended family arrangement, decided that she was fed up as Bea is there with chasing around after an ungrateful familyher Uncle Leo, so she resigned and dedicated herself to her yoga Raffy is there with half his mum, and they are living together as a hint that she might also dedicate herself to her yoga teacherfamily. She gave They have grown up cookingswimming in the cove, cleaningroaming through the trees, baking, washing completely at one with all of the nature around the house and all loving every inch of the place. But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other things which kept two brothers to sell the family going, such property to a developer as finding lost keys it's becoming more and getting people out of bed so that they got more expensive to wherever maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where they were 're going on time. And the family? Wellto live, but if they had no idea of how to cope'll even be together, with one exceptionand if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781126836</amazonuk>0571348785

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Julia LeeRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title= Nancy Parker's Spooky SpeculationsSecret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street|rating= 4|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Nancy Parker, likeable maidservantJayden's nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and part-time super sleuthunicorns of the world, returns in this enjoyable mystery story set in 1920for example. Nancy Aisha is delighted addicted to be rescued from her job on the fruit and vegetable market stall when new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is offered that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the job outside world of housemaid at an old house by the sea thanks to her old friend Ella who lives nearbyHackney, London. However strange noises But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and bumps in with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the night coupled with ghostly appearances soon disturb Nancyone Aisha thinks she's contentmentseen on a bit of local footage. The two friends team up crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and decide the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to investigate the mysterious happeningsjoin in. However all does not go smoothly for our young heroines as Dare they cope side with unfriendly neighboursLeila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, spooky cellars and Nancy's kindly but eccentric boss. become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192746979</amazonuk>0241573483

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jean UreB09XWSXSKY|title=Born to Dance (Dance Trilogy 1)Maestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski|rating=4.5

|summary=Maddy OFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn'Brien is just eleven years old and her life revolves around ballet dancingt sleep. It's not surprising really: her father is A tune, rather like the ticking of a leading choreographer, her mother clock was a ballerina but now runs her own ballet school, her brother, Sean, has just been promoted to soloist playing over and her sister Jen might be having a baby but she was over in the business toohis mind. It happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. MaddyHe hadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's enthusiasm for ballet isnten now and all those old clocks don't the usual passing interest which many young girls have - she's longing appeal to be off to ballet school full timehim anymore.  ''Who needs old clocks anyway? In All they do is tell the meantime she and a couple of her friends are looking over the new arrivals at their school and Maddy is convinced that one of them is a ballet dancertime. Only Caitlyn is And time isn''adamantt good for anything...''  And that shewas why he was looking at the clock beside the bed. It was nearly twelve o's not clock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it but to go and quite definite that she doesnfind grandad - but where was he? And why had all the clocks stopped at twelve o't go to classes.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0008164525</amazonuk>clock?

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellNigel Baines|title=The Misadventures A Tricky Kind of Max Crumbly: Locker HeroMagic

|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=We start this book introducing us Cooper loves to Max Crumbly in the darkperform magic tricks. Literally – I don't mean as regards knowing very little about him and it. It's clearly a diary-styled, heavily pictorial, light read for His father was a young audience, but we're in the dark as regards Max because ''he'' is in the dark. School bully Thug Thurston has locked him in his lockermagician, and he's scribbling a goodbye to named Cooper after the world in his journal, with the help of a handy pocket torchgreat Tommy Cooper. Over an extended flashback – a flashback that would never really work otherwise in a diary-styled book – we see more of who Max is. He's buddy to the boyf of Nikki Maxwell from this authorBut sadly Cooper's other seriesfather died suddenly, and is a friendless yet cool chap at his middle school, which henow Cooper doesn's riding out – complete with Thug – because the alternative is his gran's version of home-schoolingt quite know who to be, which is much worseor how to be. But And when the locker, official notes of his attending late, and problems with classroom beauty Erin all conspire dad's prop rabbit starts talking to make Max hate school even more, you might just expect him to change his mind. But events here will more than make up his resolve…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1471144623</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Tom Moorhouse and Holly Swain|title=The New Adventures of Mr Toad: A Race for Toad Hall|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=''Poop-poop!'' Yes, that must be the most inaccurate representation of the noise a toad makes. But of course, ithe 's not just 'really'a toad'', but Mr Toad – Toad of Toad Hall. 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 to what it once was. Stumbling into its underground regions (dondoesn't ask) are Mo, Ratty and TJ – Toad Junior, in full – and know what they're about 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 bit. Apart, that is, from the modern cars…going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192746731</amazonuk>1444960261