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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael RosenMax Boucherat|title=A To Z - The Best Children's Poetry From Agard To Zephaniah|rating=5|genre=Children's Rhymes and Verse|summary=Michael Rosen has picked the best modern children's poetry, from John Agard through to Benjamin Zephaniah. It stemmed from Rosen performing in schools and libraries with many Last Life of the poets, and as children's poetry anthologies go, it's amongst the very best.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141324503</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Philippa Pearce and Helen Craig|title=A Finder's MagicLori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Till (thatWe meet Lori on the first evening she's short for Tillawn) has lost his dog Bess and he has got the house to herself – no idea how he's going neighbour to find pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her until a mysterious stranger appearslonesome. Mr Finder interviews various witnesses, including What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a catblanket fort, a moleshe has one main intention, a heron and Miss Mousey. It's not what Miss Mousey says that gives Mr Finder the vital clue as is to what has happened log on to BessVoxminer, but the sketch she made of the riverbank at the time world-building, critter-collecting game that Bess went missingis a hit in Lori's world. ThereBut first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn's a lot of magic in the quest to t find Bessherself entirely on her own, but it's all very confusing for Till and at one point he then she finds something even doubts more spooky. For the motives server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of Mr Findertampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in the game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406319821</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emily BearnKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Tumtum and Nutmeg's Christmas AdventureDungeon Runners: Hero Trial|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I do look forward to a good children's story, and having read Tumtum and Nutmeg's [[The Pirates' Treasure (Tumtum and Nutmeg) by Emily Bearn|previous adventure on a pirate ship]] I was particularly looking forward to this oneMeet Kit. It's ChristmasLike most of the people in his world, and our two friendly little mice have been working hardit seems, preparing delicious treats and temptations ready for Christmas Day. One evening they go upstairs to check on he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the children who live in their housesport where a team of warrior, Arthur mage and Lucyhealer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and find their letters race to Father Christmas. Last year the children didn't get any presents because their chimney was blocked up and Father Christmas couldn't get in. They've asked for the same presents again this yearexit, hopeful that this year Father Christmas will manage to find a way through even though their father refuses to unblock perhaps bothering with the chimney for fear of drafts. Tumtum and Nutmeg are worried anyway that treasure or the letter won't reach Father Christmas in time, big bad and that the children will be disappointed once again. They decide to take matters into their own hands and set off to visit points they grant you along the terrifying Baron Toymouse in Toy Kingdom to see if he can helpway. However, with clockwork cats to contend withUnfortunately for Kit, and the capture only thing he's seen of Tumtum by the evil Baronlatest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, Christmas could turn out to be an even bigger disaster than they'd thought...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405250267</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Michael Grant|title=Hunger|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=The kids of Perdido Beach are still within the FAYZeaten, and a barrier erected by Little Pete - no-one knows how - when the nuclear plant went into meltdown. An uneasy truce between Sam's tribe new trio of Perdido Beach kids and Caine's Coates Academy kids questors is beginning to waverneeded. The food is running out and the Darkness Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has its claws in all those it's encountered. Caine himself is reduced taken to delirium by the voice goading from the token bully of the Darkness in his head and Lana the healer knows it's inevitable that she too will answer its call. Sam is struggling to keep any form of order. As more and more kids begin to develop special powers world and the hunger bites deeper stumbled into everyonedeclaring he's bellies, it's inevitable that conflict will break outll enter as a team. And it What chance doesthis friendless, muscle-free-zone have in some very unpleasant ways. actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405251522</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sam OsmanJames Sherwood Metts|title=QuicksilverPlanet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''Quicksilver'' is Things have been a bit sticky for the story of Wolfie, Tala Earthlings. AI and Zi'ib, three ordinary children from three different continents. They automation have never metbeen proceeding apace, until a strange chain of events involving gun-toting gangs often replacing jobs they're paid to do and eccentric old men means they all end up in Thornham, a London suburbother tasks that took time to accomplish. They soon realise they are connected: Just as they were beginning to get used to all have green eyes with golden flecks this technological change and a missing parentstarting to think of other, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. But Life was pretty much shut down and, along with it fate, chance or the ley lines that encompass all the earth that brought them together? Before you know it many daily social interactions on which they're solving clues and fulfilling a one thousand year old prophecy. But all they want to do is find their parentsdepend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407105736</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joanne Dahme Tom Percival|title=Tombstone TeaThe Wrong Shoes|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Having recently moved to a new schoolWill's life is difficult, in a new town, Jessie is struggling to make friends and fit inmultitude of ways. She He is afraid to show these new people who she really is - in her old school she often found she had bullied because he has 'blankthe wrong shoes' moments, when she could hear voices he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and 'see' people who werendoesn't really there. In desperation to become part have enough money for even the most basic of a things like food, and his dad can'group' she accepts t work because he lost his job at the dare of college, was working a group of girls to spend the night cash-in the Cemetery -hand job on a building site and collect some gravestone rubbings to prove she was therehad an accident. Once there she bumps Throw into Paul, that mix the handsome caretakerfact that his mum and dad are separated, and finds herself Will's life seems bleak in the middle every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of a strange evening whenhope. He is good at art, Paul claims, local actors get together and clings to rehearse for something called the 'Tombstone Tea'moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a play in which they portray those buried in light at the graveyard...there's something strange though about these actors and Jessie soon finds herself caught up in end of a chilling dramalong, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0762437189</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Miller1805141872|title=Sea WolfThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Hanna, Ned and Jik. They're on an unlikely quest to recover the world's biggest Seventeen banks and richest pearla jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, from but only Ben knows the hiding place Jik alone knows oftruth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, when there's is really a problem in the shape of a tornado. They're thrown from the craft they're safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al ontheir trail, Ned disappears - Miss Judson and then there were two. Hanna and Jik get rescued by Ben go on the occupants of a horrid, piratical craft, engaged in very environmentally-unfriendly fishingrun. Jik gets overworked and underfed, and then there was But Al needs them for onelast job... Only one - Hanna - with the spunk, brainpower and energy to keep her spirit together, and try and get one up on the Maestro who commands the boat.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192729020</amazonuk>}}''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Josh LaceyChristopher Edge|title=Two Tigers on a StringBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ben's not too keen to be sharing Lucas and his bedroom with his half-brotherfriends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, Franka place that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. But you donAll big movie fans, they't have re looking forward to be the hero lots of a detective adventure such exciting films, and many, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this book to know that as Franknew film format is very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn's mother has vanished from the face of the Earth, Ben will let it lie - for a whilet even imagine. Nor is it too surprising But as they lurch from one film genre to see the four Misfitz togethernext, can they figure out what on earth is going on another case, as ? Will they go on ever get back to the hunt for the missing woman.cinema, and to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407109782</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Patrick O'BrienAdam Stower|title=You Are The First Kid On MarsMurray and Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=For SharingConfident Readers |summary=It Murray is supposed to be a sci-fi future of no danger whatsoeverhumble, with no technological breakdowntidy and friendly cat, one who is able to sleep and no fatal meteor strikeeat and eat and sleep and, well, but that whatever takes his fancy next of course is only to be expected for this marketthe two. I say it more to highlight how well the book But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been illustrated. Digital airbrush techniques turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and more have taken the antiseptic sheen off catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the whole experienceregular back garden, but have still allowed for into a great detail in the machinery, world of frightening adventure and also a lovely warmth in the face of the lad we're empathising with.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0399246347</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Mary Naylus|title=The Dresskeeper|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Things are pretty grim for Pickywhiffs. She This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is thirteen years oldexpected – well, being bullied at schoolone much bigger than Murray was, and has to spend her weekends helping her singlebe honest, working mum to take care of her little brother and her senile grandmother. One evening, at her Granbut he's house, she goes turned up into the attic and tries on an old dress that she finds inside an old chest. The dress turns out to be magic, and she suddenly finds herself back in 17th Century London, struggling with a strange man who is calling her he'Amelia' and is trying to kill her. Picky ends up embroiled in Amelia's 17th century life as she tries to find out the truth of who is attempting to murder her, at the same time as trying to avoid arousing suspicion with her strange behaviour whenever she returns ll have to the present day.do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0956122280</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=John Abbott Nez Alex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Cromwell Dixon's Sky-CycleThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It Eli is a truth universally acknowledged that school summer holidays are only enjoyable if you want to enjoy summer. Greg here doesn't want to notice itbusy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and would prefer to spend his days curtains drawn, face glued to late night TV or in the evening a computer game, hand either clicking away helper at a controller or shovelling in snacksthe dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. The last thing he needs, thenEli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is his mother, on a ''generation missing in the family togetherness. A few short years ago, Eli'' trips parents were both lost to the titular race, and on a budgetglobe-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 bad ideas the sole aim the prize of what Greg should be doing insteadmagic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141327650</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rick YanceyHelen Cooper|title=The Monstrumologist: The Terror BeneathTaming of the Cat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In late 19th century Americathis case, young Will Henry has been principally, we have Brie the apprentice of the sternmouse, forbidding Dr Warthrop since up against Gorgonzola the death of his parentscat – and in case you're seeing a connection, who were also employed by they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the doctor. The twelve year old boy has seen many things in his service names used here seem to be the monstrumologist names of cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous- a specialist in monsters - but nothing can prepare him tracised, for the fateful day when an elderly grave robber brings way his habits don't match the doctor other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the twin corpses of a young girl cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the headless creature with fangs visuals on it. And that story-telling will come in his chest handy one night, when he feels all alone and cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had tried had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, though, as all the others had the chance to feast on herhalf-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184738546X</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Matt and DaveLauren St John|title=Yuck's Robotic BottomFinding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ItRoo's concerned me for a while life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that it's relatively easy her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to pick up early readers for girls – princessesbuy a lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, magic soft toyswho she knows her dad didn't think very highly of. But she has no one else, mermaids and pets abound – but there's a much smaller choice for boysso off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. ItThings continue to get worse for Roo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's important too with early readers that old campervan, it breaks down in the content is ''interesting'' and reading becomes more than just something which you ''have'' to do at school middle of nowhere and moves then bursts into being fun. flames! Matt and Dave have found the answer in Yuck.Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847382991</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael Morpurgo Adam Baron and Emma Chichester ClarkBenji Davies|title=The Best of TimesOscar's Lion|rating=4.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Most children enjoy a good traditional tale and this lovely book by Michael Morpurgo seems We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have all the right ingredients his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a handsome prince and couple of times before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a beautiful princess who fall in lovemahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, get married and live happily ever afteradmitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. Or do they? Sadly, not long after Prince Frederico marries But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the lovely Princess Serafina, she becomes very sadother month. Nobody knows what has caused such great sadness And it can shapeshift, but poor Prince Frederico is desperate so he can take it to find a cure for his wife's misery. He tries everything in his power school and eventually decides to offer his kingdom to anyone who it can make her happy again before she dies get him out of a broken heartproblem. Lots of people come And it's wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the palace to try rules, and help so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but in the end the solution is it can give Oscar a simple one provided by some very kind travellerswonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405232552</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Simon WestonJudith Eagle|title=Nelson to the RescueThe Stolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Nelson used to pull Mike the MilkCaro's milk floatmother, a world-famous whistler, but he has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is now retiredmissing. He lives in the stable at the back Her other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to take care of the dairy along her sister who is unwell. So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with a couple of tricky ratsGam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, Rhodri she feels frustrated and Rhys, a pigeon who has no sense confused and worried. All her summer holiday plans of direction, building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a frog who thinks hehalt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's a secret agent spy and house, along with an old racehorse orphan boy, Albie, who spends most of his time sleepingis living there too. Rhodri and Rhys find But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, as she discovers a painting of a mysterious message on Mikebird hidden away inside her mum's fridge old suitcase, and all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the animals believe that Mike gang? And what has been invited happened to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE. Caro's mother? Somehow our hero, Nelson, finds himself travelling down to London, pulling a ceremonial coach for Prince Charles as well as giving a TV interview about his experience.Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848510454</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jon BerkeleyTania Unsworth|title=The Lightning Key (Circus Trilogy)Nowhere Island
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I shall start with a word of adviceMeet Gil. When you're being hounded by a circus masterJust twelve, and a magician, for he is so determined to escape the care system – the soul of a tiger system that's contained constantly puts him in a tiger's egg futureless places that's contained in the brain of your teddy bear, are not homes – and your best friend - find a fallen angel - home for himself. He is trying her best en route to make sure the other angels do not turn on you 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 belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a big way - then you're probably living camp on an island between the third book in two directions of a fantasy trilogy. Still - never mindmotorway, the angel's efforts will involve you entering a dream world of flight place inaccessible and cloud cities, the chase after your enemies will take you across the world definitely ignored enough to desert oases provide for their safety and backseclusion. Them, and friends new and old will be on board to helpa mute girl also finding a home there, albeit so much more successfully. Over a few 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…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847384447</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Andy StantonHelen Peters|title=What's For Dinner, Mr Gum?Friends and Traitors|rating=4.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=As soon as heroine Polly turns England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her backlife it seems, and leaves like the town of Lamonic Bibber for female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a day at the seasidehoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, Mr Gum falls out and if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with his best friend, causing carnivorous carnage all each other over the placetheir first encounters would only prove it so. Meat But something is getting thrown around like it's going out of fashionamiss, and we have to doubt whether Polly first separately and her companions can ever utilise then in combination they realise the power Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of love meetings with Germans, and put things to rights. Especially as this book does not contain only that, a magic unicorn called Elizabethlocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405248246</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean UreJamie Littler|title=Fortune CookieArkspire|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fudge Cassidy Two sisters, Juniper and the Cupcake kid Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are best friends. If the names remind you of a certain film then you'd growing to be spot on as that's where Fudge's father got the idea from. They're actually chalk and cheese – Fudge . Juniper is loud mouthed an eager hunter and opinionated and Cupcake is quiet and thoughtful – but trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the combination worksBadlands. They've just started at secondary school and Cupcake has rather Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of the Watcher, the closest to a lot on her plate. Her brother Joey ruler the district has muscular dystrophy , and his problems are becoming more obviousone of the five major victors in said earlier war. Add to this Being trained in the magic that her father couldn't cope with only five people can use would definitely change the status of the problems and he now has another whole family. It's But in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just Cupcake, Joey and be able to gain some power of her mother own – and not a lot of money.for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007224621</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Dave Eggers024162343X|title=The Wild ThingsStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=45|genre=General Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Meet MaxI was the bad company other people got into at school. When I say he sometimes gets was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Not too long after the wrong end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the stick about adults, or dislikes his motherBritish army's new boyfriendsuccesses (and occasional failures, or gets a bit feisty when he feels but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' as want to dispute what right the army had to be there in the need for revengefirst place. Looking back, I am certainly understating still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the facts. He is a bit of a rascal maturity to say approach 'the leastproblem' politely. But all that might change when he finds himself travelling to a strange land of roisterous animals, and ends up installed as their kingI wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241144221</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeremy StrongThiago de Moraes|title=Christmas Chaos for the Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog Old Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Trevor's troublesome dogMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, Streakerlarks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, has had three puppiesshe could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. They were fathered, according to local bully Charlie Smugg, But just when she's being told that by her one of his Alsatians-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Trevor would ideally like to keep themSuddenly, at least until Christmaspractically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but his parents have other ideas the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and put them up all that powers the Internet, just for saleour convenience's sake). Charlie Smugg declares that he's entitled to half of Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the money from ancient Gods have taken the sale power of power from us. And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the puppies, but before they people that can be sold steal it back – namely the three puppies go missing characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the park Gods, ie the semi-deities, giants, half-gods and it's up to Trevor and his best friend Tina to try and track them down before Charlie demands his cash!so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141327243</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Annie TaylorHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=VioletFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Violet is [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a very special hippolot further north than many people would venture, and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. She is extremely small Back home, things on the domestic and family front are a bit advanced, but that does not make perfect for her adoptive parents Albert , and Mavis love her any so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the lessislands Bear was last left on. For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. However Desperate to make sure he's OK, they are slightly worried she and her father return to the Arctic and hope that Violet has in a world of very unusual habit of turning pink without warning white and very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and for no explicable reasonthat the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1906847371</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=A J HealySimon Fox|title=Tommy Storm and the Galactic KnightsDeadlock|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Tommy Storm. He's Late one of five teenagers snapped up night Graham Blake is late back from around his shift on the universe to be force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a gang of heroic detectives charged with rescuing EVERYTHING from destructionsecret place, and join him on the run. Not just They get together, but barely begin to smell the planet, or whiff of Southern trains when the solar systemfather is arrested, or even leaving Archie on the galaxylate express to Brighton, but EVERYTHING. Nobody seems toting a tin his father was determined to know what's going to cause this destructionkeep away from his colleagues, or when, but he and his friends and their ship seem to be the only people proactively going about saving the day. So it's bearer of a pity that they start this book strung up by a nasty loony who's about to kill themwhole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847247555</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeanette WintersonCath Howe|title=The Battle of the SunMy Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=London 1601. Elizabeth I Ren's family home is getting on destroyed in yearsa fire. Her capital city is a busy She, her parents, bustling place. Boats fill the river and people fill the streetsher little brother lose everything. Jack is happy because it She doesn's his birthday t have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and his present now she is his heartliving at her grandmother's desire: an excitable black puppy named Max, who's a 'house where they can'licking and a running and a leaping and a jumping and a tummy in the air and a tail wagging and a barkingt touch anything, racingor do anything, braking, spinning energy dog of delight''. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>140880042X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jean Ure|title=Love and Kisses|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Tamsin and Katie were just thirteen and worried that or even eat the foods they were boringnormally eat. They'd been best friends since forever and were When she goes back to school she discovers that the good girls. Neither missed schoolclass are doing a special art project, skipped her homework nor had boyfriends. Wellcreating boxes of their lives, to display things that is, not so far. Up until then Tamsin had been the boffin head – consistently strong academically are important to them and looking forward to going on to universityshow who they are as a person. All that seemed But Ren has nothing to change when put in a box, and so she met Alexfinds herself starting to steal things. WellSmall things, when I say 'met' I should perhaps clarify and say things that Alex pushed his wheelbarrow into herpeople might not really miss, from the building site where he workednot when they have so much already. Oh, and did I mention that he was seventeen, Polish and spoke very little EnglishBut what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007281722</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The princess who has no kingdom wanders around in a cart pulled by her horse Pretty. She's very polite, friendly, and kind-hearted, but she feels like something Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is lacking because she doesn't have back with a kingdom of her own. return to the short story format! The other royals she meets treat her nicely enoughBoy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, but there's always a feeling that she's not quite each as good fun to read as them because she isn't the princess of anywherehis previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846160421</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tim Pigott-SmithLaura Noakes|title=Shadow of Evil (Baker Street Mysteries)Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=If ever Victorian England needed the Baker Street IrregularsMeet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, it's nowjust Cos to her friends. The great Sherlock Holmes practice in the home she lives in is dead - drowned at sea whilst attempting to foil one of Professor Moriarty's evil plans. More ships are likely for the girls to just be sabotaged and named by the shipping owners are up number they correspond to in arms. To make matters worsethe ledger, Queen Victoriaand they's granddaughter has been kidnappedre all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. Would- But Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be clients are queuing up at 221b Baker Streetknown about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, but Dr Watson is and unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a daring escapade to turn them away. And steal some posh cakes from the more Sam Wiggins seeskitchen one afternoon, the more he's convinced that she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the various shenanigans are related to one another. If only Holmes were there to tell him exactly howgirls for his Institute. But he isn'twhy, and what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the only people who are around are children. past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>034096006X</amazonuk>0008579059
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean Ure Alice M Ross|title=Star Crazy MeThe Nowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This book At last there is about Carmen, but to understand new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her you first need to know mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She also knows she should be free from worries about her family. There's her motherbeing found out, who is quite laid back when it comes because she has the ability to all things schoolleave this world, but rather obsessed with looks (despite being the kind and use an unworldly portal of person kaleidoscope colours to drive everywhereenter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and get winded walking up a flight the buildings are generally empty of stairs). There's her Nan, who used to live with them humans and always encouraged Carmen's talent, perhaps to an embarrassing extentripe for plunder. Still With eviction imminent, it's good can Elsbeth nab anything to have support. And there's her fatheractually generate custom at the shop? Well yes, who we don't know much about. But thenis the answer, neither does Carmen.but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007224613</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Marcus Sedgwick Natasha Farrant|title=Ghosts and Gadgets (Raven Mysteries)|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Edgar, raven and self-appointed guardian of Otherhand Castle, has reason to be worried. The second-eldest Rescue of the Otherhand offspring, Cudweed, ran into something in the forbidden south wing of the castle and was in shock for days. Upon recovery, he reports the culprit was a ghost. When more victims begin popping-up - maids, stable-boys and shoe-polishers, all quite literally scared-to-death – Edgar takes it upon himself to save the day.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842556940</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Margaret Mayo, Geraldine McCaughrean, Rose Impey, Andrew Matthews, Jane Ray, Ian Beck, Angela Barrett, Emma Chichester Clark and Alan Snow|title=Magical Princess Stories|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Most little girls would love a pretty pink book all about princesses, wouldn't they? This one has seven retellings of traditional fairy tales accompanied by beautiful illustrations and would make a lovely gift for a birthday or Christmas.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140830516X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Kate DiCamillo |title=The Magician's ElephantRavenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Peter Augustus Duchene hovered outside This story is another excellent adventure from the fortune-tellerauthor of 's tent 'Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, in the market squareNorth of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and Raffy is there with his mum, and they are living together as a family. To go They have grown up swimming in and get an answer to the only question he had would cost cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the money that he had – house and he'd been given it to go out and buy loving every inch of the cheapest, poorest food that was availableplace. But he had to have an answer to now the question and when he asked he was told that, yeshouse is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his sister other two brothers to sell the property to a developer as it''was'' alive s becoming more and that the elephant would take him more expensive to hermaintain. But The children find themselves worrying not only about where in this chillythey're going to live, but if they'll even be together, northern clime would he find an elephant?and if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406324477</amazonuk>0571348785
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris PriestleyRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Tales Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Terror from the Tunnel's MouthSilver Street|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Young Robert Jayden's nose is put on forever in a book, which means he knows a train back lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. Aisha is addicted to school by his stepmotherher new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. It 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 science-minded, educational purpose, and 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 first journey heone Aisha thinks she's made seen on his own. It turns out to be more a bit of a challenge than he could ever have imaginedlocal footage. The train stalls at crew of the mouth of boat, including a tunnel living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and while the other passengers sleep through kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in. Dare they side with Leila, the waitwoman on board, and her relative who lives as a mysterious woman figure in white tells him a series painting, and become saviours of stories - stories with a difference. the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408800144</amazonuk>0241573483
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=B09XWSXSKY|title=Paul Fleischman Maestro Orpheus and David Robertsthe World Clock|titleauthor=The DunderheadsRobert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The vile Miss Breakbone hates kids and is forever shouting at her class. When the teacher confiscates the one-eared cat that Theodore Frederick (better known as Junkyardor Fred, but never Freddy, please) is giving to his mum for her birthdaycouldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the Dunderheads hatch ticking of a plan clock was playing over and over in his mind. It happened every time he came to get it back, and teach Miss Breakbone a valuable lessonvisit his grandfather. What follows is an elaborate plot He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, weaving elements of the ''Bash Street Kids'' with ''Mission Impossiblehe's ten now and all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406322555</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Hazel Allan Nigel Baines|title=Bree McCready and the Half-heart LocketA Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=If you want Cooper loves to keep your children quiet perform magic tricks. His father was a magician, and busy for a while then this would be a good book to give themnamed Cooper after the great Tommy Cooper. Twelve year old Bree and her two friendsBut sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, Sandy and Honeynow Cooper doesn't quite know who to be, find themselves running for their lives when a message on a heart locket necklace leads them or how to an old, magical book that has enormous powersbe. A monstrous enemy, Thalofedril, is trying to get And when his claws on this book so that he can continue dad's prop rabbit starts talking to reek death and destruction in the worldhim, and it is up to Bree, and her friends, to save us all...he ''really'' doesn't know what's going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1905537115</amazonuk>1444960261
}}