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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Marcus SedgwickMax Boucherat|title=Raven Mysteries: Magic and MayhemThe Last Life of Lori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Life is never completely dull We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at Castle Otherhandwork, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. Edgar the resident raven may get bored What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a littleblanket fort, she has one main intention, and end up pecking and plucking at things he shouldnthat is to log on to Voxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn'tfind herself entirely on her own, but that at least keeps and then she finds something even more spooky. For the humans there on their toesserver she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. And even Edgar must admit to being rushed off his talons when he has to save the day yet again, this time from death by cabbageWhen malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and things that go quack her safe place in the night.game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556975</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=John StephensKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=The Emerald AtlasDungeon Runners: The Books of BeginningHero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Whisked away from their parents Meet Kit. Like most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the dead sport where a team of night ten years agowarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, Katemagical mazes, Michael and Emma have race to the exit, perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. Unfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's seen more than their fair share of orphanagesthe latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, eaten, and a new trio of questors is needed. Nobody wants Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to adopt three children together 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- least of all when the youngest has zone have in actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|isbn=1839945184}}{{Frontpage|author=James Sherwood Metts|title=Planet Storyland|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Things have been a strong penchant bit sticky for using her fists whenever she can - the Earthlings. AI and so when we meet themautomation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're on their way paid to yet another. But the orphanage at Cambridge Falls is unlike any do and othertasks that took time to accomplish. They're the only children in residence, the housekeeper seems Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think they are members of the French royal familyother, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and , along with it, all the town is in the middle of a barren wasteland and is bereft of childrenmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857530186</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Eva Ibbotson and Sharon RenttaTom Percival|title=One Dog And His BoyThe Wrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=All Hal had ever wanted was Will's life is difficult, in a dogmultitude of ways. Other presents never matteredHe is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', expensive though they were: he wanted a dog. But – has the wrong shoes because his mother wouldndad can't entertain the idea. She was far too busy (shopping) work and neurotic about doesn't have enough money for even the possibility most basic of dirtthings like food, puddles or and his dad can''hairs''. His father t work because he lost his job at the college, was busy tooworking a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. He worked hard to fund their lavish lifestyle Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, and was away so much that he spent more time Will's life seems bleak in the air than he did at homeevery direction. It wasn't as though Hal had many friends eitherAnd yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. He'd just been moved from a school where he had friends (because he wasn't doing well enough) is good at art, and clings to another where the moments of joy when he'd made no friends. All he wanted was is drawing, that feel like a light at the end of a doglong, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407124234</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joan Lennon1805141872|title=Slightly Jones Mystery: The Case of the Glasgow GhoulTeacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There are spooks ''Seventeen banks and ghouls aplenty in this story: readers avid for a delicious shiver or two will be pleased to know they appear right from the very first chapterjeweller’s have been raided. And in keeping with The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the wonderfully Victorian flavour of truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Ben go on the bookrun. But Al needs them for one last job...'' Goodness me, it that Miss Judson is body-snatchers, digging up a corpse to sell terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a local doctorbad 'un like Al? We'll find out. Luckily for Miss Judson, the pupil who encounter the terrifying spectres. This discovers her terrible secret is not a horror story, howeverBen, despite the scary setting son of its opening pages: the haunted cemetery a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, and who thinks Miss Judson is simply one element in the complicated case of the disappearing treasures.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846471141</amazonuk>worth saving
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris Van AllsburgChristopher Edge|title=The Mysteries of Harris BurdickBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Thirty years agoLucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, Harris Burdick walked into a book publisherplace that has the nickname of 's office with samples The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of his work. He had fourteen stories ready for publicationexciting films, and many, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, but just brought one picture and caption they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But as they lurch from each. Burdick was never heard of again. The publisher spent many years trying one film genre to track down Burdickthe next, showing can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the pictures cinema, and to people - many of whom were inspired to write their own stories. (Shh about ''The rights of Chris Van Allsburg to be identified as...'').real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184939279X</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Diana Wynne JonesAdam Stower|title=Power of ThreeMurray and Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Gair's father Murray is the chief of their mount. Gair's mother is famous for being incredibly wise. His brother and sistersupposed to be a humble, Ceri tidy and Aynafriendly cat, both have special gifts, and so it is just Gair one who is left feeling ordinary able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and out , well, whatever takes his fancy next of placethe two. HoweverBut he's a bad magician's cat, when so his favourite bun has been turned into a powerful curse begins to affect hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the livelihoods catflap they both use can chuck them out, not just of his people but also their enemies, into the Dorigregular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventure and the Giantswhiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, it where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to Gair to find a way for them all to survive...do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007113706</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elena Pasquali Alex Bell and Sophie WindhamTim McDonagh|title=The Three Trees: A Traditional FolktaleGlorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Claude Eli is a sweet little dog who wears busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a beret helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and whose best friend is a sock called Sir Bobblysockruns. They live Eli lives with Mr and Mrs Shinyshoeshis lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the family. and when Mr and Mrs Shinyshoes go outA few short years ago, Claude and Sir Bobblysock go out and have their own adventures which, in this bookEli's parents were both lost to the titular race, involve capturing a thief globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in an art gallery and solving the company of a medical mystery in the local hospitalmagical beast. Claude, who reminds me This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a little bit of Snoopyconfession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is very endearing and it's amazing how much personality an old sock can have!to dare to enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340998997</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Pippa FunnellHelen Cooper|title=Tilly's Pony Tails: Moonshadow The Taming of the Derby WinnerCat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=WeOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you've met Tilly Redbrow beforere seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. SheAnyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don's of native American Indian descent but living t match the other mice he lives with her adoptive family in . They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the UKvisuals on it. To say And that she is mad on horses is something of an understatement – just about everything she does revolves around themstory-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. This time she and her friends are having a sleepover at makes Brie the top dog in the Silver Shoe Stablesmouse community, where – although no one is supposed though, as all the others had the chance to know about half-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it – a famous racehorse is staying incognito because his history as a Derby winner means needs when that horse thieves are after him.cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444000918</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ali SparkesLauren St John|title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Ant AttackFinding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It seems Roo's 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 Josh and Danny are about her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to meet their matchbuy a lottery ticket. Despite being almost eaten by catsWhen asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, birdsJoni, spiders and more when theywho she knows her dad didn've turned into creepy crawlies before in this series, they have a far worse foe this time - Tarquin, the snooty posh brat from up the roadt think very highly of. How they survive him turning them into antsBut she has no one else, and his misguided attempts so off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. Things continue to kill themget worse for Roo, while all the time the next door neighbouras when she and Joni leave London in Joni's scientific research which is allowing all this transformation has to be kept a top secretold campervan, are all elements of this fourth book it breaks down in the series.middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192729357</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Charlotte HaptieAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Ice AngelOscar's Lion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Rockscar City is controlled by the Scarspring family We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or at leastfather, its water supply but mother is, which comes more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to the same thingbe ready for school. And the water which the citizens receive But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is stale a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and unpleasant, especially in the summer monthsadmitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. City authorities But there are obliged benefits to spend vast amounts of money looking for new wells, but for some reason each excavation is sabotaged as soon having a lion around – it can be shown as it is begun. So when Zack and Clovis decide an unspoken threat to use the pure, sweet water from bully that ruined a secret spring high in birthday party for Oscar the mountains other month. And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to make school and sell delicious ices, they run into all kinds it can get him out of dangera problem. Unless they And it're very carefuls wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the rules, they will be made to disappearand so on. OK, just as their father did twelve years beforeit can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340894180</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Josh Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and Danny have only recently recovered from being turned into spiders by the peculiar scientist woman next dooris now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to take care of her 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 confused and worried. But however adamant they All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are itbrought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady'll never happen agains house, along with an orphan boy, Albie, they don't foresee who is living there too. But she soon finds herself caught up in a time when they're willingly taking mystery, as she discovers a repeat dose painting of the SWITCH serum, becoming tiny flying detectivesa bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and almost drinking up spills from all across London a fearsome gang called the toilet rim..Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192729330</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Peter MillettTania Unsworth|title=The Curse of the Catastrophic Cupcakes (Boy Zero Wannabe Hero)Nowhere Island|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Boy Zero Wannabe Hero has defeated General Pandemonium twice before, but as with all supervillainsMeet Gil. Just twelve, he's relentless. This time, is so determined to escape the care system – the General has come up with system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a wicked plan home for himself. He is en route to conquer the world by making everyone float off yet another fosterer, when he jumps into space by feeding them catastrophic cupcakesan anonymous car, and lets it ride him to his future. Will Boy Zero That future seems to be able 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 two directions of a motorway, a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to save the world yet again?provide for their safety and seclusion. Them, and a 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>0571253261</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Betty G BirneyHelen Peters|title=My Pet Show Panic! (Humphrey's Tiny Tales)Friends and Traitors|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Humphrey is England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the classroom hamster of room 26 of Longfellow Schoolcountry pile called Stanbrook. He's good friends with Og the frog One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it seems, as well as like the pupils at the schoolfemale generations before her. We've met Humphrey [[Holidays According to Humphrey by Betty G Birney|lots]] [[Humphrey's Great The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-Greattoity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-Great Book of Stories by Betty G Birney|of times]] [[School According to Humphrey by Betty G Birney|before]] paths. The girls are chalk and thoroughly enjoyed his adventures every time. This time roundcheese, and if wehadn're treated to 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 then in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a new series rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of tiny talessecrecy, for newly confident readers. Our first small adventure talk is made of meetings with Humphrey sees him being entered into a pet showGermans, and trying not to fall foul of Clemonly that, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the biggirls are wrong, yappy dog.and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>057124632X</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ali Sparkes and Ross CollinsJamie Littler|title=S.W.I.T.C.H: Spider StampedeArkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Josh Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and Dannycheese. Eight year old twinsJuniper is an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, both think they are taller than their brotherincluding relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the religious districts of Arkspire, and both think perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of the other is weird - Danny because Josh loves creepy crawliesWatcher, bugs and insectsthe closest to a ruler the district has, and Josh because Danny doesn'tone 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 the whole family. But they're about in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to be joined in equal amounts gain some power of terror when a mad scientific experiment turns them into spiders.her own – for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192729322</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Christopher Russell and Christine Russell024162343X|title=The Warrior Sheep Go West|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=I like these Warrior Sheep, and the scrapes they get in by following their ancient prophecies and in trying to save their world. [[The Quest of the Warrior Sheep by Christopher Russell and Christine Russell|Last time]] they thought a mobile phone was itself a call from the gods, but still did have to save the day. Here they misread a page on the Internet - and if you can't accept Internet-using sheep, your children surely will - and decide to go to America to save their whole species.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405243775</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewStolen History|author=Jana Oliver|title=The Demon Trappers: ForsakenSathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=You know that old saying, I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'never judge a book by its covergod'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, I'm guilty of itwas probably worse still. Not too long after the end of WWII, I always fall into didn't so much want to learn about the trap – if British army's successes (and occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the cover isncolonies't amazing as want to dispute what right the army had to be there in the first place. Looking back, I still believe I prewas right -judge. And but I regret that's exactly what I did when this book landed on my doorstep – I took one look at lacked the broody vamp looking girl on maturity to approach 'the cover and thought 'emoproblem'politely. How wrong I wish I was'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330519476</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robert Arley and Marisa LewisThiago de Moraes|title=Big Big SecretsOld Gods New Tricks|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When Jake's science experiment goes wrong he isn't faced Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a room full young goddess of badnuisance. But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-smelling chemicals and giving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a D grade as most students would be power- instead he discovers out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that he powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has shrunk his teacher to happened – the ancient Gods have taken the size power of a Barbie doll! power from us. His friendAnd so she begins her epic quest, Annie, gets roped to gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in to help him take care of his newly miniaturised teacherstealing from the Gods, keeping it a secret and tryingie the semi-deities, desperatelygiants, to find a way to reverse half-gods and so on known as the process..tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0954540263</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Holly WebbHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Rose and the Silver GhostFinding Bear|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This is the fourth volume in the ''Rose'' series[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, and its blend of magica lot further north than many people would venture, peril and excitement has proved finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a winning formulapolar bear – that she called Bear. Rose herself is Back home, things on the domestic and family front are a delightful characterbit advanced, but not perfect for her, combining and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the downislands Bear was last left on. For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. Desperate to-earthmake sure he's OK, practical qualities one would she and her father return to the Arctic and hope for that in a housemaid with growing magical powers world of very white and a mysterious past. In this storyvery dangerous things, she discovers there may be a way to can find out what happened to her mother a decade before, but her path is, as usual, fraught with danger one specific white and dangerous thing – and thrillsthat the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408304503</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Garth Nix and Sean WilliamsSimon Fox|title=TroubletwistersDeadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Our three heroes Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, and their magical giant beasts are still trying to snatch the quarters of an ancientthen suddenly rings Archie, power-giving mask demanding he fetch something from a secret place, and join him on the clutches of their realm's enemyrun. They're not doing too well in get together, but barely begin to smell the chase, for he has two whiff of Southern trains when the bitsfather is arrested, and even his assistant they thought dead at leaving Archie on the end of [[First Hero (The Chronicles Of Avantia) by Adam Blade|book one]] is still around. Can they have any luck this third time of askinglate express to Brighton, even when their country is being ravaged, turning once-helpful villagers against their questtoting a tin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and their enemies are getting stronger by the battle?bearer of a whole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408307499</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet the new catRen's family home is destroyed in a fire. A vicious thingShe, ither parents, and her little brother lose everything. She doesn's fond t have any of having a go at her clothes, or any passing human feetof her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and now she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even able eat the foods they normally eat. When she goes back to stand its ground against school she discovers that the neighbourhood dogsclass are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and show who they are as a person. It also But Ren has nothing to put in a great habit of making a mess with its killsbox, which comes and so she finds herself starting to a head (literally) when the front end of what was the vicar's prize carp ends up on Tom's pillowsteal things. After Small things, things that the cat vanishespeople might not really miss, not when they have so much already. Has it finally met a match? Has it been catnapped - and But what will happen to her if so, who someone finds out what she is seeking revenge by doing so?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847385974</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Judith Viorst and Lane SmithRob Keeley|title=Lulu The Boy Who Disappeared and the BrontosaurusOther Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Lulu Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is every parent's worst nightmare. She always, ''always'' gets what she wants, quite often by rolling around on the floor screaming until the light bulbs pop. She is, quite simply, a child in desperate need of Supernanny! For her birthday Lulu decides she would like back with a Brontosaurus. Her parents, for once, say no, and no amount of screaming makes them change their mind. So Lulu sets off into the forest return to find a brontosaurus by herself. The trouble is, when she finally does find one he isn't too keen on the idea of being her pet and actually would much prefer that she became his petshort story format!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857071475</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Alan Silberberg|title=Milo and the Restart Button|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary='Starting over is like pressing the reset button on a game that makes you lose all your points and wipes out any of the good stuff you've spent hundreds of hours learning...' Milo's restart button was pressed by the death of his mother. Since that awful day, life has not been good. His father has retreated inwardsThe Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, each as fun to read as his sister is always angry, and they've moved house several timesprevious offerings. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857071904</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sharon King and Rose KingLaura Noakes|title=The Daily Journal of Arabella CrumblestoneCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Arabella Crumblestone was making Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her way along a dry-stone wall friends. The practice in the home she lives in Northumbria, courtesy of a sheep is for the girls to just be named Leroy, when she met by the number they correspond to in the two human childrenledger, Faith and Georgethey're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. George gave her But Cosima bears the tag as a piece of chocolate (although surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she didn't know that's what it was) came from, as the first ever inmate, and she was grateful. The boy had unique in having no words, but he hummedknown family in the outside world. The next day he returned During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the wall with girls for his sister who never seemed to stop talkingInstitute. Arabella was lonely – but could she trust Faith But why, and Georgewhat does that body entail? Hunger, cold and loneliness made her decision for her and before long And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she had a bed in Faith's warm pocket.has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0956741304</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Pip doesn't want to be sold to Captain Snarks as a pirate's cabin boy. He At last there is sure he'll get sea-sick, and he would far rather continue to work at new stock in the stable yard. But the foulimpoverished yet over-breathed drunkard who runs the orphanage refuses to listen: he will receive more money for the lad if he sends him to sea. On the way to the docks Pip manages to escape, full antiques shop Elsbeth and he stows away her mother run in the rear carriage of the Stage Fright Theatre Company, charmingly described as 'dancing masters of the macabre'. Our hero remains there for many days, hidden from everyone and only occasionally sneaking out to find a bone to gnaw, until the travelling troupe arrives at its destination, Hangman's Hollowseaside town. And then Pip's troubles begin in earnest.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340970693</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Melissa Wareham|title=Take Me Home: Tales of Battersea Dogs|rating=4|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=Melissa Wareham always wanted a dog but her parents would never allow Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it and she didn't get good enough exam results for her next option – becoming a vet. Not one to She also knows she should be deterred free from worries about being found out, because she joined has the staff at Battersea Dogs Homeability to leave this world, first as a kennel maid and eventually as the head of rehoming. 'Take Me Home' is the story use an unworldly portal of some of the highlights of her life at the home and some of the dogs which she met whilst she was there.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849413924</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Betty G Birney|title=School According kaleidoscope colours to Humphrey|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=After six near-perfect books' worth of adventures in Room 26enter other worlds, where the class pet Humphrey sea levels are rising dramatically and the hamster faces a nightmare at the start buildings are generally empty of termhumans and ripe for plunder. The entire pupil population has changedWith eviction imminent, and all his friends he's got can Elsbeth nab anything to know and love (and be loved by) have been replaced by a new intake. actually generate custom at the shop? Here are the absurdly tall and the unfortunately shortWell yes, both with the same first name; here is the girl in a wheelchair pestered by an over-attentive helper. Can Humphrey solve all their problems - as he usually does - andanswer, is the biggest problem of all but the fact that his old friends no longer have a classroom pet?mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571255418</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Morris GleitzmanNatasha Farrant|title=GraceThe Rescue of Ravenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This story is another excellent adventure from the author of 'In 'Voyage of the beginning there was me and Mum and Dad and the twinsSparrowhawk''. And talk about happy families Ravenwood is an old house, we were bountiful. But it came to pass that I started doing sins. And loin the North of England, that's when all our problems beganwhere Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives.' This is exactly how Grace talks because she lives with her family as They are part of a separatist fundamental Christian sect. She goes to a church school. The school bus driver complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is a church Elder because she mustn't talk to or touch an outsider as outsiders are unclean. She can't eat outsider food without purifying it first - even ice cream must be microwaved. She wears there with her unrulyUncle Leo, curly hair in a bun and woe Raffy is upon her when wisps free themselves from her hairpinsthere with his mum, and they are living together as a family. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>014133603X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Sorrel Anderson|title=The Clumsies Make A Mess They have grown up swimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and loving every inch of the Big Show|rating=3place.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=This But now the house is the third book about The Clumsiesunder threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other two small mice who live in Howard Armitage's office, and manage, whatever brothers to sell the situation, property to make a mess! A big show is being put on at work, and Howarddeveloper as it's boss wants Howard becoming more and more expensive to singmaintain. The Clumsies decide children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to intervenelive, in order to help out Howardbut if they'll even be together, and chaos ensues..if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007339364</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=David PetersenRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Mouse GuardSecret Beast Club: Legends of The Guard|rating=4|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=To start with, I have never heard of Mr Petersen and his Mouse Guard franchise. But I'm often up for an introduction to a fantasy cycle, and I always relish being welcomed to an author by the most esoteric, unusual, quirky and short route. My first entry to the His Dark Materials world was [[Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman|a collector's spin-off]], and I'm just as likely to start the Twilight series, if ever, with the latest brief whimsy. And for those Unicorns of a similar mind-set, this collection of tales from the pens of guest writers and illustrators, serves as an odd-shaped doorway on to this particular universe.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857681427</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Francesca Simon and Tony Ross|title=Horrid Henry's Thank You LetterSilver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=IJayden'm sure most s nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of us havethe world, at one time or anotherfor example. Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, found ourselves being forced to write a huge pile where she can see videos of thank you letters to distant relativesanything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, perhaps even for gifts is that we werenthey 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't all that excited to receive in s cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the first place! one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. This is The crew of the predicament that Henry finds himself inboat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and rather than knuckle down the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to get them over and done join in. Dare they side with heLeila, of coursethe woman on board, procrastinates and her relative who lives as much as possible before coming up with an ingeniousa figure in a painting, money-making scheme!and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444001051</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Richmal CromptonB09XWSXSKY|title=Just William|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Whether it's a trip to the cinema, babysitting a youngster, being a page boy at a wedding, or running away from home to take a job below stairs, the 11-year old William Brown can always be relied on to create chaos Maestro Orpheus and havoc wherever he goes. This short story collection (the first of 38 books) is a wonderful introduction to a classic character.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330507451</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewWorld Clock|author=Hans Christian Andersen, Naomi Lewis Robert Penee and Christian Birmingham|title=The Snow QueenJoanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Kay and Gerda are dearFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, dear friendsplease) couldn't sleep. However A tune, Kay gets splinters from rather like the Devil's shattered magic mirror ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his eye and heart, changing mind. It happened every time he came to visit his personality for the worsegrandfather. Shortly He hadn't really wanted to come; afterall, he is whisked away by the Snow Queen. Everyone assumes Kay must have fallen in the river 's ten now and drowned, but Gerda is sure her friend is still alive, and embarks on a magical quest all those old clocks don't appeal to bring him home againanymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406319708</amazonuk>}}
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elizabeth BeresfordNigel Baines|title=The Wombles at WorkA Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Bloomsbury have re-issued another tranche of the original Womble booksCooper loves to perform magic tricks. His father was a magician, following the release of and named Cooper after the first titles in late 2010great Tommy Cooper. This brings the total But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, and now Cooper doesn't quite know who to six available titles for you be, or how to have a Wombling good time withbe. And quite frankly, whatwhen his dad's not prop rabbit starts talking to love here? Any story featuring Elisabeth Beresfordhim, he ''really'' doesn't know what's environmentally-minded, charming characters is a delight, for young and old alike.going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408808366</amazonuk>1444960261
}}