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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ali SparkesMax Boucherat|title=Wishful ThinkingThe Last Life of Lori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We meet Lori on the first meet Kevin covered evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in sick, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. He doesn't travel wellWhat could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and his day out with his gran that is to log on to Voxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in the car isnLori't going as well as he might wish fors world. He But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't really seriously wish for anythingfind herself entirely on her own, but a diverting list and then she finds something even more spooky. For the server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of things he'd like – a better complexion, a better chance with the school hottie, a Wii, etc – gets dropped into a streamtampering. And lo When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and behold, her safe place in the god of that rivergame has been doctored – well, someone called Abandinus, comes to life, thinking he's got where is a worshipper at last, and might just be prepared girl to grant some wishes.turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192756117</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anthony HorowitzKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=LegendsDungeon Runners: Beasts and MonstersHero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When they say there is nothing new under the sun, they might use this book as evidence - but they'd only be half-rightMeet Kit. The legends Like most of the sphinx's riddlepeople in his world, it seems, and he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the capture sport where a team of the gorgon's headwarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, are as century-old as , magical mazes, and race to the Parthenon hillexit, but perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they have never been presented as they have heregrant you along the way. They were published in a similar fashion in Unfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's seen of the latest race on the 1980sinn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, with a younger Anthony Horowitz offering a large compendium of folk storieseaten, legends and tales a new trio of classical derring-doquestors is needed. With Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the attention span token bully of the current under-twelve, however, to be considered, his publishers have allowed world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a sprucing upteam. What chance does this friendless, and a reformatting muscle-free- one book has been turned into sixzone have in actually managing that, with a brace each year from now til conclusion.and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330510150</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tracey TurnerJames Sherwood Metts|title=Dreadful FatesPlanet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Imagine Things have been a bit sticky for the delight you get, as a book reviewerEarthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, when you chance upon a title that stands out, by filling a nice handy gap in the market youoften replacing jobs they'd never even noticed, re paid to do and doing it so well you want other tasks that took time to alert as many people as possibleaccomplish. This is such a time, Dreadful Fates is such a book, and Just as for the gap… This book hits upon the darker corners of they were beginning to get used to all those copious 'highlights this technological change and starting to think of history for the kids' booksother, touches upon The Darwin Awards compilations of stupid people dying in stupid new waysto spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and merges , along with those collections of famous last words and epitaphs some of us like flicking through now and again – and does it , all for the under-thirteen audiencemany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408124211</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ian Ogilvy and Chris MouldTom Percival|title=The Funfair of Fear! - A Measle Stubbs AdventureWrong Shoes|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There Will's life is one thing Measle could really be called afraid difficult, in a multitude ofways. Not He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn't have enough money for even the usual teenage most basic of things, like having a bathfood, no. Heand his dad can's lived through being inches high and stuck t work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in -hand job on a nightmarish train-set diorama with building site and had an evil cockroach accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and worse for companydad are separated, and as a result, heWill's going to be afraid of a wrathmonk – a warlock turned bad – such as the one who put him therelife seems bleak in every direction. So you'll pity him when it becomes obvious And yet, he still has a gathering tiny amount of wrathmonks are forminghope. He is good at art, and clings to get their revenge on Measle's newly-found family. But what are wrathmonks in turn afraid the moments ofjoy when he is drawing, I hear you ask? That's right – that feel like a light at the end of a garden gnomelong, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192729713</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Chris Mould1805141872|title=The Werewolf and the Ibis (Something Wickedly Weird)Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The 'Something Wickedly Weird' series is Seventeen banks and a splendid mix of Gothic horror and cartoon-style funjeweller’s have been raided. The scrawny young heropolice are baffled, young Stanley Buggles, who lives in a 'darkened industrial town'but only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher, as the first page tells usMiss Judson, is plunged into an adventure from the moment he arrives (all alonereally a safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, as tradition dictates) at Crampton Rock. He has inherited his great-uncle's mansion, a vast old pile Miss Judson and Ben go on an island linked to the mainland by a long winding footbridgerun. But Al needs them for one last job. The right atmosphere of isolation and claustrophobic unease is created immediately, especially when we learn that letters are only collected from the island once a fortnight. Whatever is on this island, Stanley will have to deal with it alone.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340931027</amazonuk>}}''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Natasha NarayanChristopher Edge|title=The Maharajah's Monkey: A Kit Salter AdventureBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Kit Salter has a nose for adventure. Somehow she always finds trouble, or it finds her, Lucas and this latest episode is no exception as she finds herself travelling from the home comforts of Oxford his friends are all the way to Indiabooked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, then on to a place that has the freezing mountains nickname of Tibet'The Black Hole'. What has happened to Monsieur Champlon? Has he abandoned poor Aunt Hilda? Why is the mysterious monkey leaving threatening messages for Kit? And what does it all have to do with the Maharajah? Kit and her friends set off on a fantastic journey to investigate.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847245293</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Richard Denning|title=The Last Seal|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=In 1380 the warlock Stephen Blake released the demon Dantalion from the AbyssAll big movie fans, only for his nemesis Cornelius Silver they're looking forward to banish him straight away. Dantalion has nursed his wounds for nearly 300 years – and in 1666, descendants lots of the original pair clash as heaims to return to the worldexciting films, and burn down London by starting the Great Fire. While the fire rages around Londonmany, and Dantalion’s followers try to break the seals which hold him in the Abyssmany snacks! However, four unlikely heroes join forces to stop them from being destroyed – and to save as the world.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956483550</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Richard Platt|title=Would You Believe...in Mexico people picnic at granny's grave?!|rating=4|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Well if there’s one important aspect of familiesmovie starts, it they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is that books very different, and they are includedswept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. It is evident But as they lurch from one film genre to the detailsnext, trivia and facts here that you don’t need a father, a mother, or siblings. can they figure out what on earth is going on? You might even have several spreads of half- and step-siblings, and copious parents here, there and everywhere. You might Will they ever get back to have a nanny, a cohort of family helpersthe cinema, but one thing I would thrust on anybody would be a collection of books at home – and yes, books such as these tidy 48 pages would be among them.to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0199119856</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Richard PlattAdam Stower|title=Would You Believe...bed testers get paid to sleep?!|rating=4|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=It is quite certain the reader of this book will not be a bed tester, however broad the smile it carries as it suggests anyone can get the employment they dream after. Neither will she or he be a vital scribe for some ancient civilisation, a slave, a drudge, or a worker in a Communist collective farm. But it is definitely an eye-opener how all that Murray and so much more can be considered by just 48 tidy pages. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0199119864</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Richard Platt|title=Would You Believe...Vatican City is a country?!Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers |summary=Cities don’t just spring up around us. They have taken thousands of years of civilisation Murray is supposed to be a humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is able to formsleep and eat and eat and sleep and, however surprising that might appear at timeswell, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. ConverselyBut he's a bad magician's cat, there are some who are just so his favourite bun has been turned into a few hundreds of years old that have been empty for centurieshyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and others that have been planned over the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a drawing board world of frightening adventure and become whiffs. This time round it drops them into a capital city in Viking land, where a decade-long instant. All are within these tidy 48 pages.troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0199119708</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Richard PlattAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Would You Believe...two cyclists invented the aeroplane?!The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We first met Felix Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in ''Once''. He thought he was the luckiest child wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the orphanageevening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, since he was too – for there is a generation missing in the only one whose parents weren't deadfamily. Sadly A few short years ago, he was wrong about that. We followed his story in ''Then'Eli's parents were both lost to the titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in which he and his dear friend Zelda are on the run from company of a magical beast. This has made the race anathema to the Nazis pair – but when a bad incident at the height of the Holocaust and its terrifying Final Solution. In Now, we catch up with Felix many years later. He's built eatery leads to a good life as a surgeon in Australiaconfession from gran, and Eli knows his only hope is now frustratingly retiredto dare to enter what he most hates, unable with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to operate because of his shaky hands. He's looking after possibly save his granddaughter, Zelda's namesake, whose parents are doctors volunteering in Darfurgran. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>014132998X</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Carl McInerneyHelen Cooper|title=The Funniest Football Joke Book EverTaming of the Cat
|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Who scored Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the most goals cat – and in the Greek Mythology League? The centaur forward. Badoom boom tshhhh. Itcase you's re seeing a football joke bookconnection, packed they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the gills with all sorts names of cheesiness and sillinesscheeses. Funniest ever? Perhaps not Anyway, Brie is shunned, but it's not too bad.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849391114</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jenna Burtenshaw|title=Wintercraft|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=The wardens raid villages scorned and cities for people competent to fight in the war, a war nobody knows anything about other than if you’re sent to fight you don’t come back. The last time they raided Morvane was ten years agomust, taking Kate’s parents with them. Kate is taken in by her unclemous-tracised, Artemis, and grows up in for the way his habits don't match the book shop other mice he lives with him and her friend, Edgar. But now They nibble up paper wrapping from the wardens are back, and looking cheese for more people to fight. However, they are also looking for the Skilled bedding – a dying breed of people who can see through the veil of life he displays it as art and death. They want to build an army of makes stories based on the deadvisuals on it.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755370961</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Sarah Prineas|title=The Magic Thief: Found|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=When we last saw Conn And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he had blown up his wizard master's house, was exiled from the city of Wellmet, feels all alone and lost his locus magicalus (it's like a magic wand, just it's a stone)cast out. He It's been unable almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to do magic ever sincekeep themselves alive. This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, which is rough because he needs his powers now more than ever. A terrible evil is blazing a trail towards Wellmetthough, intent on destroying as all the others had the city, and Conn's only hope chance to defeat it is to somehow get a new locus magicalushalf-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. He sets out on a quest to find one, but But will the story have the journey is long and dangerous, and time is running successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out.?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849161917</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paul CooksonLauren St John|title=The World At Our FeetFinding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Paul lives Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the basement middle of the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to buy a large tower blocklottery ticket. He When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn's feeling lonely and out t think very highly of sorts. But she has no one else, and so he feigns a headache and stomach ache and has a day off schoolshe goes to live with her unreliable aunt. Spending his day wisely, he gets Things continue to know the eccentric people who inhabit the buildingget worse for Roo, as well as embracing his own eccentric idea that the moon is actually a hole when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in the sky.middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406314579</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Carlos Ruiz ZafonAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=The Prince of MistOscar's Lion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=During World War TwoWe start incredibly bluntly, Max's with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father decides to move the whole family to , but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a seaside retreat he knows couple of - a wooden house far away from the city times before he's grown his family up inhas to be ready for school. Nobody seems too keen on the idea, neither of MaxBut when he enters his parents's sistersbedroom, his mother, nor all he - and Max sees is gifted a pocket watch by his lovingmahoosive male lion on their bed, talented mechanic cum engineer cum watchmaker of a fatherlooking sheepish, enscribed as "Maxand admitting that he won's Time Machine"t be hungry for another two days. But the house they move there are benefits to, and its surroundings, are full of more successful time machines - having a stash of early home videos, a public clock lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that runs backwards, ruined a sunken shipwreckbirthday party for Oscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, a yard full of statues so he can take it to school and it can get him out of a stone circus..problem. And letit's wonderful to have around the house – not forget limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the mysteriousrules, and so on. OK, spider-eating cat that joins in with proceedingsit can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0297856421</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=James RollinsJudith Eagle|title=Jake Ransom and the Skull King's ShadowThe Stolen Songbird|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The prologue Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to this splendid book recounts a terrifying chasereturn home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, the discovery is having to go up North to take care of fabulous Mayan artifactsher sister who is unwell. So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and a shadowy enemyconfused and worried. And that gripping scene sets the tone for the rest All her summer holiday plans of the book. After the strange disappearance of their parentsbuilding herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, along with an orphan boy, Albie, who were on an archeological dig on the Mountain of Bonesis living there too. But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, Jake Ransom and his sister Kady are sent as she discovers a parcel containing two halves painting of a Mayan coin, their motherbird hidden away inside her mum's sketchbook old suitcase, and all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and their father's notebookterrorising people. There is no indication what these things mean or Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to do with them.Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444000616</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The summer holidays Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a time home for relaxinghimself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, playing in the sunwhen he jumps into an anonymous car, and getting bored – precisely what Joe and Scarlett are doing lets it ride him to his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when we encounter them at the beginning someone steals his one bag of this thrilling book. It is hardly surprising then, belongings – but that when someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the two children see directions of a ghostly train racing towards them in the woodsmotorway, they take a risk place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and step insideseclusion. The train itself is strange Them, but when they find clothes laid out in the single compartment with their own names marked on themand a mute girl also finding a home there, Joe starts to get really worriedalbeit so much more successfully. His sister Scarlett, however Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or if this is more curious – or more reckless – and she immediately begins to try on the blue dress which has been left for her. And then Joe's phone starts to count down from an hour . . .one place where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0746097530</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Eleanor UpdaleHelen Peters|title=Johnny SwansonFriends and Traitors|rating=43
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary='Strength England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to be in What Remains' service all her life it seems, like the female generations before her. The other is the inspirational account of DeogratiasSidney, a man who girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has fled been removed there away from the genocide bomber flight-paths. 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. But something is amiss, and first separately and civil war then in Burundi (just south of combination they realise the equator in East Central Africa, bordering Rwanda)Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. He escapes to New York Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, out talk is made of fear meetings with Germans, and want of not only that, a safer life; only his new found American life isn't quite what it promisedlocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0385616422</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lynne Reid BanksJamie Littler|title=I, HoudiniArkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Houdini Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is not your usualan eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, commonplace hamsterincluding relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Oh no, he Elodie is a hamster intent on a missiongetting closer to power in one of the religious districts of Arkspire, a mission perhaps even to become the child in line to escape! From his very first glorious taste inherit the power of freedom he spends his life inventing ways the Watcher, the closest to escape a ruler the district has, and scurrying away (usually straight into a heap one of the five major victors in said earlier war. Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of trouble) at every possible opportunitythe whole family. This is his taleBut in finding something oddly magical, related entirely from his Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her own– for good, rather conceitedor for very, point of view.very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007341539</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Andrew Matthews and Tony Ross024162343X|title=The Merchant Of Venice (Shakespeare Stories)Stolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Bassanio's I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the hots for Portia, and she for himexistence of a 'god'. His friend Where was the proof? In history lessons, Antonio, borrows money from Shylock so Bassanio can woo herit was probably worse still. Antonio is usually well-off, but all his money is tied up with his ships at Not too long after the moment. Due to past rivalriesend of WWII, Shylock demands that Antonio pay him back with a pound of flesh if he canI didn't come up with the money. Meanwhile, Portia is putting various suitors so much want to learn about the test. As someone wise once said elsewhere, the course of true love never did run smooth.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408305046</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Gabrielle Lord|title=April (Conspiracy 365)|rating=4|genre=Teens|summary=ItBritish army's April successes (and Cal has survived three months of his year occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the run. Will colonies' as want to dispute what right the fourth bring him any closer army had to answers about be there in the Ormond Singularity? And can he trust Winter Frey? You guys last saw Cal in Januaryfirst place. Looking back, feeling rather shellI still believe I was right -shocked after his fatherbut I regret that I lacked the maturity to approach 'the problem's death from a mysterious disease and his brush with a crazed lunatic who told him that his father was murdered and hepolitely. I wish I'd be next unless he could hold out until next New Yearhad Sathnam Sanghera's Eve. Within days, Cal found himself on the run, accused of battering his own sister, and in search of something called the Ormond Singularity''Stolen History''. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340996471</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Zizou CorderThiago de Moraes|title=HaloOld Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When Halo is a babyMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a centaur finds young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's being told that by her crawling up a beachone-last-chance-giving headteacher, the sole survivor of world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a shipwreck. This scene showspower-out, right from the first pageeven of electric cars, hits not just the courage and determination which characterise her during town the course of this book. No one has any idea who this human child is, school's in but the golden owl amulet entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that powers the curious tattoo on her forehead suggest she is specialInternet, just for our convenience's sake). She is adopted by Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the family and for ten years she and her centaur brother Arko lead an idyllic life on ancient Gods have taken the island power of Zakynthos. But ten years later Halo is kidnapped by fishermen and sold into slaverypower from us. She escapes and disguises herself as a boy because as a girl And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have little or no respectpast form in stealing from the Gods, and no freedom of action. Still disguised as a boy she lives with ie the Spartanssemi-deities, falls in lovegiants, half-gods and is given clues to her true identity by so on known as the famous Oracle at Delphitricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141328304</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip ArdaghHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Trick Eggs and Rubber Chickens: Grubtown Tales Finding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=If you haven't [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been to Grubtown beforeon Bear Island, then feel welcome. As newly arrived lorry driver John Jones finds outa lot further north than many people would venture, it's and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a place of exceedingly silly names for people polar bear – Blue-Ridge Handheld my favourite so far – and exceedingly silly things happening for exceedingly silly reasonsthat she called Bear. One of those silly Back home, things is John Jones arriving into town with a giant octopus on the back of his lorry – domestic and family front are a realbit advanced, live onebut not perfect for her, destined for and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the brand new aquarium islands Bear was last left on. For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and carwashwounded. AnotherDesperate to make sure he's OK, coinciding, silly thing, is she and her father return to the mayor having Arctic and hope that in a huge festival day for the opening world of his new homevery white and very dangerous things, which he has just finished knittingshe can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571247938</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emily BearnSimon Fox|title=A Seaside Adventure (Tumtum and Nutmeg)Deadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There's Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something very comforting about returning to from a story with familiar friends secret place, and this latest in join him on the Tumtum and Nutmeg series does not disappointrun. Our brave little mousey friends are heading off for some new excitementThey get together, this time travelling by train but barely begin to smell the seaside whiff of Southern trains when the father is arrested, leaving Archie on the late express to Brighton, toting a tin his father was determined to keep an eye on Arthur away from his colleagues, and Lucy who have been sent to stay with their Unclethe bearer of a whole heap of questions. Nutmeg is sure it won't be any bother, but Tumtum suspects they may well end up on another adventure!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405248203</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joe FriedmanCath Howe|title=Boobela and Worm Ride the WavesMy Life on Fire|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Boobela Ren's family home is destroyed in a girl who is just like any other fire. She, her parents, and her little girl, except for the fact that she isnbrother lose everything. She doesn't have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick- knacks from her cupboard, and now sheis living at her grandmother's a gianthouse where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the foods they normally eat. Worm is her best friend (he actually is When she goes back to school she discovers that the class are doing a worm) special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and he rides around show who they are as a person. But Ren has nothing to put in a box , and so she straps finds herself starting to her shouldersteal things. This outing sees them visiting some underground caves and learning to surfSmall things, things that people might not really miss, amongst other adventuresnot when they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556819</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sally GardnerRob Keeley|title=The Red NecklaceBoy Who Disappeared and Other Stories|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Paris's streets are already humming Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with talk of revolution, when a return to the young gypsy Yann Margoza is summoned short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to perform his magic at the chateau of a selfisheleven new tales, debt-ridden marquise. He is each as fun to tell the assembled aristocracy their future. But what he hoped would be the ticket to a better life turns into a nightmare when he has a vision of the richly-dressed crowd drowning in a sea of bloodread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556347</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kaye UmanskyLaura Noakes|title=Clover Twig and the Perilous PathCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There's non-stop fun and action in this storyMeet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. Granny Dismal comes The practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to warn Mrs Eckles that just be named by the Perilous Path has been spotted number they correspond to in the forestledger, and this kicks off a funny story involving witches (both good and bad)they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, trolls, missing little boys, clowns, imps and magic sweetiesuncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. It's But Cosima bears the sequel tag as a surname because nothing else seems to Clover Twig and be known about where she came from, as the Incredible Flying Cottage, but I don't think I lost out too much for not having read that first. Everyone is generally so well describedever inmate, and previous story arcs are quickly filled unique in having no known family in if requiredthe outside world. This is During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the sort of book I would have stayed up late reading under the covers with kitchen one afternoon, she discovers a torch when I was plan involving said outside world – a little girl myselfdevilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. But why, and is now what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the sort of book I would steal from my daughter's room late at night past she has so I can keep reading it without waiting for a chapter a night!little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408801876</amazonuk>0008579059
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=R J AndersonAlice M Ross|title=Rebel (Knife)The Nowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fifteen years after At last there is new stock in the events of Knife, the Queen of the Oakenwyld is dying of old ageimpoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She charges Knife's daughteralso knows she should be free from worries about being found out, Lindenbecause she has the ability to leave this world, with the task and use an unworldly portal of finding kaleidoscope colours to enter other faeries out in worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the worldbuildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. Knife is now living in the human world with her husband Paul With eviction imminent, and her mission can Elsbeth nab anything to protect actually generate custom at the Oak shop? Well yes, is put in jeopardy by the arrival of Paul's teenage cousinanswer, Timothy.but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408307375</amazonuk>1839943769
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Justin RichardsNatasha Farrant|title=The Chamber Rescue of ShadowsRavenwood|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ItThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''s LondonVoyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, in the North of England, 1886where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. A company building those new underground train tunnels finds They are part of a hidden vault at impossible depth - complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and Raffy is there with his mum, and seems to release into the world The Lord of Fliesthey are living together as a family. A mysterious masked stage magician does They have grown up swimming in the obviously impossible. A robotic killer stalks cove, roaming through the streetstrees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and a street gang loving every inch of ruffians-on-the-up decides to solve the mysteryplace. A man in charge of Fortean artefacts at But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the British Museum has property to a new employer, asking something much developer as it's becoming more and more evil from himexpensive to maintain. Surely all of that cannot The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to live, but if they'll even be connected in some way? Surely one book can not have all those dark and mysterious elements we can probably all recognisetogether, and put them into one period thriller without coming over as a horrendous porridge of parody?if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571237991</amazonuk>0571348785
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David YellandRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The Truth About LeoUnicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Eleven year old Tom Oakley thinks heJayden's going mad when nose is forever in a book, which means he seems knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. Aisha is addicted to relive short periods her new tablet, where she can see videos of his life, and dreams about other people from different timesanything that might be out there. The reality problem, as their mothers see it, is far stranger – hethat they are never 'out there's a Walkerthemselves, with the power to rescue those he dreamed about. Travelling to exploring the battle outside world of IsandlwanaHackney, the Great Fire of London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and with a German U-Boatpast involving Jayden's cousin, guided by the mysterious Professorthey find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, Tom saves including the lives one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. The crew of soldier Edwardthe boat, servant Maryincluding a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and Able Seaman Charlie, who also the kids unknowingly have powersthe magical sight needed to join in. There are others Dare they side with Leila, however, with similar powersthe woman on board, and her relative who aren't lives as pleasant as Tom's new friends – a figure in a painting, and the four become saviours of them, allied with the Professor and his roguish helper Septimus, are pitched into a battle to save the worlds. That's intentionally plural – there are two parallel universes at stake here.unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1445251388</amazonuk>0241573483
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Steve VoakeB09XWSXSKY|title=Hooey Higgins Maestro Orpheus and the SharkWorld Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=A shark has been spotted in Shrimpton-on-SeaFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn's bayt sleep. The local chocolate shop has A tune, rather like the ticking of a mahousive egg for sale for £65clock was playing over and over in his mind. Hooey Higgins decides It happened every time he came to capture the former so he can charge admission and buy the lattervisit his grandfather. Hehadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's helped out on his adventures by Twig ten now and Will, whilst they all hope they wonthose old clocks don't fall foul of the big bully Basboappeal to him anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406322342</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anthony McGowanNigel Baines|title=Einstein's Underpants - And How They Saved The WorldA Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=A delightfully silly school cum sci-fi romp for confident readers, with plenty of pants-based humour, but never at the expense of a rollicking good readCooper loves to perform magic tricks.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0440869242</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Alec Sillifant|title=Jake Highfield: Chaos Unleashed|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=What's this that Jake is doing - breaking into a building? Vandalising it with graffiti, having ruined someone's privacy and infiltrated something he shouldn't have done? Three years ago he would have been doing this as a yobbish kick, but now he's a teenage agent of His father was a shadowy organisation called the Academymagician, and people want him to succeed in his mission. But do they all want that? Who are his taskmasters named Cooper after all? And what does the Void have in store for his future?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845393481</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Garth Edwards|title=Shipwrecked (The Adventures of Titch and Mitch)|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Titch and Mitch are two little pixies who have run away from homegreat Tommy Cooper. Through a series of misadventures they find themselves shipwrecked on an islandBut sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, and the story revolves around them making new friends there. They come now Cooper doesn't quite know who to the rescue of a strange coloured seagullbe, they save a trapped fairy, they play dentist for a little dragon mouse and they aid and abet an intelligent turkey who is trying or how to escape from the turkey farm.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0956231500</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Steve Voake|title=Fightback|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Meet Kierbe. A smart, yet lonely, young teen, heAnd when his dad's been farmed off prop rabbit starts talking to a private school by his dad since mother died. Among his achievements are several successes on the karate mat, but all this is about to change. When his father is rammed off a motorway and murderedhim, Kier finds he''really'' doesn't know what's even more alone, and duty-bound to fight even more, when he gets clues to just who his father might have been, and how to go about responding to his death.going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571230032</amazonuk>1444960261
}}