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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lindsey LeavittMax Boucherat|title=Princess for HireThe Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Desi is not We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the happiest of teenagershouse to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, although when are teenage girls ever actually happyon her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? AnywaySnuggled in a blanket fort, her ex-best friend Celeste she has one main intention, and that is doing everything possible to humiliate and alienate her from their friendslog on to Voxminer, and to top it all off Celeste is also dating the boy Desi has a huge crush onworld-building, Hayden. (He critter-collecting game that is perhaps a dubious prospect for Desi since he canhit in Lori't even get her name right)s world. Still, she But first Lori has landed herself summer job working for a pet store and although it involves being dressed in a furry groundhog costume at least no-one can tell ittiny inkling that this stormy night doesn's t find herself entirely on her in thereown, and then she finds something even more spooky. Well, not until Celeste comes along For the server she and unmasks her. In front bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of Haydentampering. Desi finds herself feeling more When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and more like vapour every day, that she doesn't matter or almost doesn't exist. Cue her safe place in the fairy-godmother style entrance of Meredithgame has been doctored – well, an agent for Facade which where is a magical company that offer jobs girl to teens with magical potential to work as substitute princesses...turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140524612X</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Victoria ForesterKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=The Girl Who Could FlyDungeon Runners: Hero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could fly? Meet Kit. It would be such a wonderful sensation, soaring through Like most of the air, looping the loop, swooping down over your house and garden. But have you also stopped to think what other people might think if they saw that you could fly whilst no one else could? Would children still want to be your friend? What would your family think? The little girl in this storyhis world, it seems, Piper McCloudhe is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a team of warrior, can fly. She lives on her parents farm mage and was always a littlehealer enter specially prepared, wellcentury-old, unusualmagical mazes, and after her mum found her floating in race to the air one day when she was a baby she decided to home school Piperexit, rather than expose her to perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the gossips in points they grant you along the villageway. But one dayUnfortunately for Kit, at the village picnic, Piper flies during only thing he's seen of the baseball match as she tries to catch latest race on the ballinn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, eaten, and suddenly her whole life a new trio of questors is turned upside down.needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330512536</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Marcus SedgwickJames Sherwood Metts|title=Lunatics and Luck (Raven Mysteries)Planet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It's obvious really. When an earthquake hits Castle Otherhand, Valevine, the head of the household, decides what the place needs is Things have been a machine to predict bit sticky for the future, Earthlings. AI and a new tutor for his two oldest children. And why not? There are only those childrenautomation have been proceeding apace, the suicidal baby twins, Valevineoften replacing jobs they's dreadful failed inventions re paid to do and experiments, Edgar the raven other tasks that narrates took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this series technological change and starting to think of booksother, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and a monkey. With bells , along with it, all the many daily social interactions on. Clearly there is not enough weirdness there already to go aroundwhich they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556959</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Adam BladeTom Percival|title=Creta the Winged Terror (Beast Quest)The Wrong Shoes|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Our heroWill's life is difficult, in a multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', Tomhe has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, is finding and his fishing trip with dad can't work because he lost his father bugged job at the college, was working a cash- literally in- by hand job on a plague of sickening cockroach thingsbuilding site and had an accident. WhatThrow into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will's morelife seems bleak in every direction. And yet, the whole land of Avantia is suffering some form he still has a tiny amount of horrid heatwavehope. Can TomHe is good at art, recognising yet another threat and clings to his country from the evil Malvelmoments of joy when he is drawing, defeat his nemesis yet again - especially as said baddie has as that feel like a new weapon light at the end of darkness a massive host of the roacheslong, swarming as one giant monster?dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408307359</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lucy Coats and Anthony Lewis1805141872|title=The Beasts in the Jar (Greek Beasts and Heroes)Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Atticus the sandalmaker is heading to ''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the great storytelling competition in Troy. On truth – his wayMaths teacher, Miss Judson, he meets is really a number of people safecracker! With police andher gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, always eager for an opportunity to hone his skills, relates to them tales from Ancient Greek myths Miss Judson and legendsBen go on the run. The beasts in the jar of the title? Pandora released But Al needs them from what we mistakenly call her boxfor one last job...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444000659</amazonuk>}}''
{{newreview|author=Glenn Dakin|title=Candle Man: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance |rating=4Goodness me, that Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a bad 'un like Al? We'll find out.5|genre=Teens|summary=Birthdays Luckily for Theo are not exactly how we would recognise them. One blandMiss Judson, forgettable present from each of the three people pupil who live in his household. Some pink cake at the best of times. A trip to the cemetery, with the butler making sure nobody else is in sight. But this one discovers her terrible secret is different - some person unknown leaves something for him. And by the time burglars break inBen, and force Theo to leave the confines of his bedroom and find some of the secrets son of the house, it is too late - Theo is set on a nightmarish trail between two warring forces, famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as the truths of his destiny, his originsfather some day, and his hands, come to the fore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405246766</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Diana Wynne-JonesChristopher Edge|title=Enchanted GlassBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Andrew HopeLucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a rather woolly professor, learns place that his magical grandfather has died, leaving him his house and his field-the nickname of-care'The Black Hole'. Andrew remembers some things from when he was a little boyAll big movie fans, such as his grandfather leaving vegetables on the roof they're looking forward to lots of the shed for someoneexciting films, or somethingand many, to eat each night. many snacks! He also remembers that there is something special about the beautifulHowever, old coloured glass above as the kitchen doormovie starts, but not exactly what they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is. It seems he has forgotten a lot of what his grandfather taught him, including the mystery of the field-of-care he has inherited. But with the entrance of Aidan Cain, an orphanvery different, into his house and his life the mysteries deepen. The two they are drawn to each other, however, and slowly start to unravel the truth that surrounds them.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007320787</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jean Ure|title=Ice Lolly|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It's the funeral. Laurel - Lolly to those that love her - is concentrating very hard and trying desperately to turn swept up into an ice lolly. Ice lollies are frozen, you see, and adventure they doncouldn't feel so mucheven imagine. They But as they lurch from one film genre to the next, can't miss people - mothers - who are gone and people who are still around can't hurt them. A frozen heart they figure out what on earth is a sad thing, but it's a safe thing. Auntie Ellen doesn't like the music at going on? Will they ever get back to the service, she thinks it's inappropriate. It isn't even a hymn. But it was one of Laurel's mother's favouritescinema, and Laurel think it's just perfect. Special. to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007281730</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip WomackAdam Stower|title=The LiberatorsMurray and Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=TeensConfident Readers |summary=Ivo's parents have gone off on Murray is supposed to be a South American expedition. As it's the school holidayshumble, tidy and friendly cat, Ivo one who is off able to London to stay with some glamorous relatives. Aunt Lydia is a socialite sleep and eat and art expert who arranges exhibitions eat and parties for the great sleep and , well, whatever takes his fancy next of the goodtwo. Uncle Jago is in finance and there isn't much about wheeling and dealing that But he doesn't know. Theys a bad magician're fond of Ivo s cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the kind catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a world of guardians who are likely to practise some benign neglectfrightening adventure and whiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, so what Ivo where a troll hunter is really looking forward expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to about his stay is freedom - be honest, but he intends to explore London 's turned up and enjoy everything it has he'll have to offer. do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0747595526</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jaclyn DolamoreAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Magic Under GlassThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=Namira Eli is a trouser girl - a music hall performer. In Lorinarbusy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, she's regarded as and in the evening a faintly risque curiosity but helper at home in Tiansher it wasn't like this. Performers like her mother were feted and respected the dessert cafe his gran owns and Namira grew up in a palaceruns. In Lorianar, she Eli lives in povertywith his lovely gran, performing too – for drunken fools who don't understand her artthere is a generation missing in the family. And then suddenly A few short years ago, sheEli's freed from parents were both lost to the seedy music hall by Hollin Parrytitular race, a wealthy man and globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of a member of Lorinar's Sorcerer Councilmagical beast. Parry This has an automaton, made the race anathema to the pair – but when a curiosity that plays bad incident at the pianoeatery leads to a confession from gran, and Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he wants Namira's unique voice most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to accompany itpossibly save his gran. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408802120</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Pseudonymous BoschHelen Cooper|title=This Book is Not Good for YouThe Taming of the Cat
|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Cass is not having the best of time when it comes to secretsOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. ItIn this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you's all very well being involved re seeing a connection, they live in a topcheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-secret societytracised, designed to keep for the secret of way his habits don't match the most secretive secret ever, but those pesky people called adults are keeping things other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from her the cheese for bedding – he displays it as well art and makes stories based on the visuals on it. And that story- namelytelling will come in handy one night, her very originswhen 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. Can MaxThis makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, though, as all the others had the chance to half-Ernest and she wade through their junk store base and find inch some cheese while the box she cat was delivered in? distracted. Can they survive But will the mysterious clown school they end up visiting? And can they keep a mystical tuning fork from falling into story have the wrong handssuccessful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409506312</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Betty G BirneyLauren St John|title=Holidays According to HumphreyFinding Wonder|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Humphrey the hamster is worriedRoo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Everywhere he turns 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 her dad has dropped dead on his little pink ears he hears noises about way to the school being closedcorner shop to buy a lottery ticket. How When asked what other family she has, she can he survive without all his adoring fans in room 26only name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of. But she has no one else, and what is life like so off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for a classroom pet without a classroom? LuckilyRoo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, this is only it breaks down in the summer holiday he is misunderstanding, middle of nowhere and what do you know - he will soon be meeting familiar faces, not at school, but at summer camp.then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571250904</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Keith MansfieldAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Johnny Mackintosh: Star BlazeOscar's Lion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Before I get into the review of this bookWe start incredibly bluntly, I'd like with Oscar hoping to suggest that if you haven't have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read Keith Mansfieldhim his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents's first Johnny Mackintosh bookbedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, [[Johnny Mackintosh and the Spirit of London by Keith Mansfield|The Spirit of London]]looking sheepish, you go off and read the review of admitting that first and then go and read the book itself. Ithe won's a fantastic readt be hungry for another two days. But because this is a sequel, there are obviously going benefits to having a lion around – it can be some SPOILERS aheadshown as an unspoken threat to the bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the other month.  So And it can shapeshift, done that so he can take it to school and it can get him out of a problem. And it's wonderful to have you?around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the rules, and so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849161267</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Neal ShustermanJudith Eagle|title=EverwildThe Stolen Songbird|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Neal Shusterman continues his part zany adventureCaro's mother, part philosophical enquirya world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and part coming-is now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to take care of-age story that began with Everlost in this follow-up that her sister who is perhaps even better than its predecessorunwellEverlost So who is a kind of limbo and home going to look after Caro? Sent to children - Afterlights - who have diedstay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, but somehow missed the tunnel she feels frustrated and the light - wherever confused and whatever the light actually worried. All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is. Adults never make it therestuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, but significant or much-loved objects and buildings sometimes do. Mary Hightoweralong with an orphan boy, for instanceAlbie, who is so-called because living there too. But she took soon finds herself caught up residence in New York in a mystery, as she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and all across London a fearsome gang called the Twin TowersSnakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Mary thinks Everlost is a wonderful place and Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she "saves" somehow involved in the Afterlights she finds by giving them repetitive but addictive tasks to fill eternity. mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847387322</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alex MilwayTania Unsworth|title=Mousebeard's Revenge (Mousehunter Trilogy)Nowhere Island|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=If you started this trilogy way back whenMeet Gil. Just twelve, you would probably never expect he is so determined to escape the pirate, Mousebeard, and care system – the hero system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and heroinefind a home for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, Emiline and Scratcher, lets it ride him to be working togetherhis future. But they are - so deep is That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the world two directions of Old Town in intriguea motorway, subterfuge a place inaccessible and wicked plans, that they need definitely ignored enough to combine forces - and get other returning characters back on hand and on provide for their side - to counter Mousebeard's enemies once safety and for allseclusion. OnlyThem, one great thing has changed. Yesand a mute girl also finding a home there, that's rightalbeit so much more successfully. Mousebeard has had Over a shave...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>0571245102</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Valerie Thomas and Korky PaulHelen Peters|title=Winnie's JokesFriends and Traitors|rating=2.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Who turns off England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it seems, like the lights at Halloween? female generations before her. The lights witchother is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. What does an Australian witch ride on? A broomerang The girls are chalk and cheese, and if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. Yep But something is amiss, itand first separately and then in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a rum 's un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and not only that, a joke booklocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192729063</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=A G TaylorJamie Littler|title=Meteorite StrikeArkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sarah is not readyTwo sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. She's not ready to forgive the man who Juniper is her fatheran eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, for abandoning her and her young brother Robert eight years agoincluding relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. She cannot yet forgive Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the circumstances religious districts of her mother dyingArkspire, and perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of the promise they were forced to makeWatcher, the closest to go to Australia with a ruler the mandistrict has, and start a new lifeone of the five major victors in said earlier war. She is certainly not prepared for Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the meteor strike to smash into Australia just as they fly above it, which downs status of the plane whole family. But in a horrid crashfinding something oddly magical, and seems Juniper might just be able to carry with it an alien virus which forces many people to drop permanently asleep.gain some power of her own – for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409508579</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Cynthia Kadohata024162343X|title=A Million Shades of GreyStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=3.5|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=At just twelve, Tin is I was the youngest elephant handler bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in his villagereligious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'god'. Ever since he can remember Where was the proof? In history lessons, Tin has dreamed it was probably worse still. Not too long after the end of working with elephants and he loves his own elephant, LadyWWII, I didn't so much want to distraction, even spending most of his nights sleeping by her side. Tin is much less keen on schoollearn about the British army's successes (and occasional failures, but his parents insist that he goes. Tin really canwe didn't see dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the point, colonies' as his sole ambition is want to become a fully-fledged elephant trainer. His parents may talk about opportunities dispute what right the army had to be there in the world outside his village first place. Looking back, I still believe I was right - but if they donI regret that I lacked the maturity to approach 't involve elephants, hethe problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's not interested''Stolen History''. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>184738823X</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gigi AmateauThiago de Moraes|title=ChanceyOld Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ChanceyMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's dam was Starry Night and being told that by her owner loved that horse so much that she wanted one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a foal who was exactly like herpower-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but when Chancey was born she was bitterly disappointed the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that powers the Internet, just for instead of the black Appaloosa with white marking Chancey was born albinoour convenience's sake). It was only his striped hooves which proved his breedingTrixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. The owner was not big enough And so she begins her epic quest, to overcome her feelings and when she fell on hard times gather all the people that can steal it was Chancey who was left out back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the field to suffer despite semi-deities, giants, half-gods and so on known as the fact that he was no longer a young horsetricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140632258X</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dean Hale, Shannon Hale Hannah Gold and Nathan Hale Levi Pinfold|title=Calamity JackFinding Bear|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''I was born to scheme''[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, declares our hero Jackand finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. With flashbacks we see Back home, things on the young lad domestic and family front are a pixie friendbit advanced, larking about but not perfect for revenge or small profither, and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was last left on. But when his motherFor a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he's bakery gets more OK, she and more into her father return to the red, the size of the profit has to increase. And when you add Arctic and hope that in revenge against the local crime lord - a giant of a man - so does the size of the target world of very white and very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the japefriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0747587426</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Laurie Halse AndersonSimon Fox|title=ChainsDeadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Teens
|summary=Isabel and her sister Ruth are slaves. But they should be free - Miss Mary Finch left a will that said so. But Miss Mary Finch is dead and her greedy nephew and heir denies all knowledge of the will. So Isabel and Ruth are sold to the Locktons and taken to New York. The Revolutionary War is underway and New York is a dangerous place. The Locktons are loyalists, but the patriots are in control of the city.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747598061</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Michelle Harrison
|title=The Thirteen Curses
|rating=4
|genre=Teens
|summary=Red is back, but she's trapped in the fairy realm. Having swapped places with Tanya, she is bound there, but is still desperate to get both her and her brother back into the human world. She must seek an audience with the fairy court, but the realm is full of deception and cruelty – it will be a challenge just to get there. And guess what happens when she gets there? She is set another challenge, twisted with the cruelty of the Unseelie (Boo! Hiss!) court. Whilst the journey goes on, she reflects on her past: the car crash that killed her parents and her time at the children's home. Meanwhile, Tanya has returned to Elvesden Manor for half term and let's just say that her ability to see fairies comes back into use when the new housekeeper and her pesky parrot land her and Fabian and the whole Manor crew into trouble with the little people.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847384501</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Nancy Farmer
|title=The Islands of the Blessed (Sea of Trolls Trilogy)
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In this third adventure, Jack, a fourteen year old Saxon apprentice bard, and Thorgil, a bad-tempered shield maiden, follow the Bard Dragon Tongue on a quest to quell the draugr - the malevolent spirit of a drowned mermaid mistakenly summoned to Jack's village and who seeks revenge for her earlier ill treatment at human hands.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184738630X</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Garth Nix
|title=Into Battle (The Seventh Tower)
|rating=3.5
|genre=Entertainment
|summary=We've made it to book five in Garth Nix's Seventh Tower series, so a quick recap:
 
The Dark World is blocked from the Sun by an enchanted Veil created by Tal's forebears to protect it from the creatures who inhabit Aenir - a spirit land full of magic and magical beasts.Aenir is lit and warmed by the Sun, but the Dark World uses sunstones - crystals grown and charged with light and heat in Aenir. Some inhabitants of the Dark World - the Chosen - also bind some of Aenir's creatures to themselves as spiritshadows or spiritguards.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007261233</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Alan Skinner
|title=Furnaces of Forge
|rating=3.5
|genre=Teens
|summary=In this [[Blue Fire and Ice (The Land) by Alan Skinner|sequel]], it's almost as you were, except here the mysterious powers of the blue flame are not being used by some outlander arsonist, but have been usurped by two inept young scientists from the Myrmidots, to fuel their industry. We can predict this will prove a bad thing, but the breadth of the journey to capture the flame, and the efforts of all our returning characters to put things right might still be a surprise.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0955726859</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Tom Palmer
|title=Captain Fantastic (Football Academy)
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ryan Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a changed boysecret place, and join him on the run. Since he got into hot water with manager Steve for bullying several books ago They get together, and his captaincy but barely begin to smell the whiff of Southern trains when the father is arrested, leaving Archie on the United U12s late express to Brighton, toting a tin his father was threatened, he's been determined to get keep away from his socks firmly pulled up. He's worked really hard at redeeming himself too - both on colleagues, and off the pitch. He's more than halfway towards becoming the best captain the team's ever had. So when Craig's attitude suddenly nosedives and he starts playing dirty during games and being insolent during training, Ryan feels bearer of a big responsibility to help sort it outwhole heap of questions. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141324724</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Christopher Russell and Christine RussellCath Howe|title=The Quest of the Warrior SheepMy Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Take five rare breed sheep, put them Ren's family home is destroyed in a fieldfire. She, her parents, and wait for something to fall out the sky on to one of themher little brother lose everything. YouShe doesn'll find the result is that they gathert have any of her clothes, confer among themselvesor any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, work out their sacred God Aries and now she is in trouble as heliving at her grandmother's lost house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the only thing foods they normally eat. When she goes back to confer his power over school she discovers that the sacred Demon class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of sheeptheir lives, Lambad, and decide to take the fallen object up North display things that are important to return itthem and show who they are as a person. A journey that will take them into London But Ren has nothing to put in a market truckbox, down the Undergroundand so she finds herself starting to steal things. Small things, things that people might not really miss, and not when they have so much more on their epic journeyalready. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405243767</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dugald SteerRob Keeley|title=The Dragon Diary: Dragonology Chronicles Volume 2|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Daniel and Beatrice Cook are studying Dragonology with Dr Ernest Drake, and are awaiting the hatching of their very own dragon egg. But suddenly their parents have gone missing, an illness is killing dragons and it all smells of evil dragonologist, Alexandra Gorynytchka. Before they know it, the brother, sister and new dragon chick have to deliver Liber Draconis, the dragon diary, Boy Who Disappeared and St Petroc's chalice to Dr Drake in Hong Wei, which may hold the secret to the cure. As the back cover reads: ''The future of dragon kind hangs in the balance!'' |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0763634255</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=John Ward|title=The Comet's ChildOther Stories|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Teenage Fin Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is rescued from his remote forest home by Ragg, the first man he has ever encountered. Having such a sheltered childhood has equipped Fin back with the speech and education of a nobleman's son but little idea about return to the real world. Other than relying on his instincts and resourcefulnessshort story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, Fin has no way of knowing who each as fun to trust, or where he is bound read as he leaves home with Ragghis previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1905537123</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellLaura Noakes|title=Dork DiariesCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I do like a blurb Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to be accurateher friends. So when I saw The practice in the home she lives in is for the back cover of this book state girls to just be named by the obvious number they correspond to mein the ledger, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid for girls!"and they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, I could rest assureduncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. I didn't relax fullyBut Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, howeveras the first ever inmate, for I'd read [[Rodrick Rules (Diary of and unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney|daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the blue kitchen one]] of those and found it afternoon, she discovers a bit feeble, and [[Diary of plan involving said outside world – a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney|devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the yellow one]] girls for his Institute. But why, and found what does that body entail? And could it a bit fabulous, possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has so I couldn't guarantee any feminine, pink variant would be worth my time.little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847387411</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ceci JenkinsonAlice M Ross|title=Mirror Mischief (Oli and Skipjack's Tales of Trouble) The Nowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sid from At last there is new stock in the pizza impoverished yet over-full antiques shop is on holiday in Africa Elsbeth and she's sent presents to her two best customers, Oli Biggles and Skipjack Haynesmother run in a seaside town. Oli's present is a mirror and it's not just any mirror as Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it seems to have magical powers. It was perhaps unfortunate that Vernon SurdShe also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, because she has the mean maths teacher who punishes anyone who can't do fractions and Slugger Stubbinsability to leave this world, the school bully should be the ones at the wrong end of the magical powers but it seemed quite appropriate that the first should be transformed into a vulture and the second into a blue-faced baboon.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571249698</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Anthony Horowitz |title=Crocodile Tears (Alex Rider)|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Fans of Anthony Horowitz' Alex Rider series have had a two-year wait for this installment use an unworldly portal of our young hero's escapades and they are not going kaleidoscope colours to be disappointed. He's fourteen year old now and not only is he being targeted by a hitmanenter other worlds, he's also being pursued by a journalist who wants to tell where the nation all about sea levels are rising dramatically and the fact that MI6 buildings are using one generally empty of his tender years to do their dirty workhumans and ripe for plunder. The trouble is that he With eviction imminent, can't be positive that it was a sniper that caused the car he was in Elsbeth nab anything to skid off a Scottish road and land actually generate custom at the bottom of a Loch. shop? And MI6 don't seem all that bothered about the journalist, unlessWell yes, that isthe answer, Alex might be willing to find some simple information from but the fact a GM crop research centre, in mysterious man knows exactly which case they might be able to have a quiet word with the gentleman.items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406310484</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Suzy Brownlee Natasha Farrant|title=The Littlest Detective in London|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=''The Littlest Detective in London'' is the first in this series of children's books by Suzy Brownlee and will soon be followed by the continuing story of Clementine Cordelia Bird's exploits in Paris. The books are aimed at young girls, aged between around eight and fourteen.  Clemmy (as she is known) is nine years old, but looks younger, due to her being rather small. However, she makes up for this by being brave and inventive. We learn early on that her mother disappeared in mysterious circumstances and the books have the underlying theme of Clemmy trying to find her mum again.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956122205</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Gary Blackwood|title=Mysterious Messages - A History Rescue of Codes and CiphersRavenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=There's something utterly cool about codes and ciphers. It's not just the spies with their secret world, it's the mystery of an ostensibly random set of letters or pictures. It's being able to unravel them and see what they're hiding. It's a combination of geeky riddle solving (and geeks are cool, so there) and uncovering the unknown meanings. Gary Blackwood treats us to a history of codes and ciphers, looking at their creation, the stories behind them, and how to crack them.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0525479600</amazonuk>
}}
 
{{newreview
|author=Daniel Pennac
|title=Dog
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Dog was This story is another excellent adventure from the runt author of ''Voyage of the litterSparrowhawk''. Unwanted. Half-drowned and left to die on a rubbish tip Ravenwood is an old house, you can imagine better starts in life the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for this scruffy-looking little puppymost of their lives. But it's not so bad. Black Nose takes him under They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her wing Uncle Leo, and Raffy is there with his mum, and gives him they are living together as a little family. They have grown up swimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of her milk the nature around the house and a lot loving every inch of her lovethe place. More importantly But now the house is under threat, she teaches him as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the rubbish tip ropes and gives him property to a developer as much advice about doghood and ownerhood as she possibly can. And then... thereit's an accidentbecoming more and more expensive to maintain. The last thing Black Nose says to Dog is 'children find themselves worrying not only about where they'If you go re going to the townlive, watch out for the cars. Dodgebut if they'll even be together, little one, rememberand if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.''|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406322741</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robert Crowther|title=Cars - A Pop-Up Book Of Automobiles|rating=3.5|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Robert Crowther tells the story of the car, from Cugnot's steam engine, Trevithick's road locomotive Robin Birch and Benz's Motorwagen, right through to the record-breaking Thrust SSC and to future cars, like the biodegradable Eco One. There are plenty of pop-ups and pull tabs to bring it all to life, and it's packed with detail.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406312274</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=James FitzsimmonsJobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The Hudbrax Hoard (Sabrax Clyke Series)Unicorns of Silver Street|rating=34
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Sabrax ClykeJayden's nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. Not allowed Aisha is addicted to sit around in her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the hole in the dryoutside world of Hackney, London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-stone wall he and his family call homeminded, educational purpose, and admire the pretty girl whowith a past involving Jayden's just moved in next doorcousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, heincluding the one Aisha thinks she's persuaded by an urgent message from distant relatives to go to their aid regarding some unmentionable, awful predicamentseen on a bit of local footage. His journey there The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the task itself will involve metal dragonskids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in. Dare they side with Leila, odd standing stonesthe woman on board, earth-shattering movementsand her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and unearthly nasties.become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0955644216</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jane RayB09XWSXSKY|title=Snow White|rating=3.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Jane Ray has taken the classic fairy tale of Snow White, the dwarves Maestro Orpheus and the wicked queen, and created beautiful three-dimensional tableaux. It's a much-loved story that everyone is familiar with, and this is a great opportunity to rediscover a classic in an interesting new way.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406311839</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewWorld Clock|author=Children's Trust|title=The Walrus Robert Penee and the Carpenter and Other Favourite Poems|rating=3.5|genre=Children's Rhymes and Verse|summary=Celebrities, including [[:Category:Richard Hammond|Richard Hammond]], Paul O'Grady, Sienna Miller, McFly and Lorraine Kelly, have chosen their favourite poems for this anthology. All proceeds from the book go to [http://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/ The Children's Trust]. It's a fantastic charity, who help disabled children, and I urge you all to buy a copy of ''The Walrus and the Carpenter'' to support them.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140632650X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Tanya Landman|title=The Head is Dead (Poppy Fields Murder Mystery) Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=MeetFrederick (or Fred, once againbut never Freddy, Poppy Fieldsplease) couldn't sleep. When tasked to create a murder mystery experience for a school fete she is only surprised to find A tune, rather like the headmistress - ticking of a newly employed battleaxe that no-one seems to like - a real-life victim of an assassinclock was playing over and over in his mind. And there is only a school field full of suspectsIt happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. Can she and her best friendHe hadn't really wanted to come; after all, brainbox George, solve the day he's ten now and make the staff room a safer place all those old clocks don't appeal to behim anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the time. And where does the invisible sheepdog come in?!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406314633</amazonuk>}}time isn't good for anything...''
{{newreview|author=Michael Morpurgo|title=The Kites are Flying|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Said lives on the West Bank. He herds his family's sheep, spends a lot of time talking in his head to his absent brother Mahmoud, and he makes a great many kites, which And that was why he sends across was looking at the wall to clock beside the girl in the blue headscarf who lives in the occupiers' settlementsbed. What Said doesn It was nearly twelve o't do, is talk out loud, even to his new friend Mister Maxclock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. Max is a Western journalist who wants There was nothing for it but to make a documentary about how the Palestinian/Israeli conflict affects ordinary people on both sides of the wall. Max is entranced by Said, go and his dozens of kites, find grandad - but where was he? And why had all bearing the message salaam or peace. He can see that Said has a dream, but heclocks stopped at twelve o's not sure what it is. Will the dream come true before Max has to leaveclock? |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406317985</amazonuk>
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tanya LandmanNigel Baines|title=Dying to be Famous (Poppy Fields Murder Mystery)A Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Meet Poppy Fields - an inquisitive young lass, keen on exploring her world - in a slightly different way Cooper loves to her geeky, walking-encyclopaedia of perform magic tricks. His father was a best friendmagician, Grahamand named Cooper after the great Tommy Cooper. So keen is she But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, and now Cooper doesn't quite know who to explore the phenomenon that is the latest seen-everywherebe, snapped-at-all-hours celebrity, she makes the pair of them go or how to audition for bit parts in the Christmas production of The Wizard of Oz the star is starting to rehearsebe. Unfortunately for herAnd when his dad's prop rabbit starts talking to him, she apparently hasnhe ''really'' doesn't noticed sheknow what's in the third book in a series of young reader murder mysteries, and deaths more unexpected than having a house land on you might just be going on the playbill...anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406314625</amazonuk>1444960261
}}
{{newreview|author=Michael Rosen|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 Move on to Benjamin Zephaniah. It stemmed from Rosen performing in schools and libraries with many of the poets, and as children's poetry anthologies go, it's amongst the very best.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141324503</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Cookery Reviews]]