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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]__NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{Frontpage|author=Max Boucherat|title=The Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=4.5|genre=Confident readersReaders|summary=We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and that 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't find herself entirely on her own, 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 tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in the game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to turn?|isbn=0008666482__NOTOC__}}{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jayne WoodhouseKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=And Rocky TooDungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|summary=We [[The Stephensons' Meet Kit. Rocket by Jayne Woodhouse|first met Rocky]] when Anna's fatherLike most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a team of warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and race to the feckless Peteexit, brought him home as perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the latest in his many money-making schemes which inevitably cost points they grant you along the family dearway. This one was to have a longer-lasting effect than most though – through his affection Unfortunately for RockyKit, the only thing he's seen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired racing greyhound, Pete realised that eaten, and a new trio of questors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he had has taken to support the goading from the token bully of his family world and Annastumbled into declaring he's brother Darren made ll enter as a friend of another boyteam. Even WilfWhat chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, the pensioner who lived next door found hidden talents and it looked as though the family was set fair, righthow could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0954925696</amazonuk>1839945184

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Simon PackhamJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Bex FactorPlanet Storyland|rating=34.5

|summary=Reality TV, especially the kind of talent competition where the backstory of the contestants is as much Things have been a part of bit sticky for the programme as their performance on stageEarthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, is a part of most young peopleoften replacing jobs they's livesre paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. A whole culture has grown up which dangles big breaks, lucrative contracts Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and happiness-ever-after starting to those talented few who can sing or dancethink of other, ornew ways to spend time, better stillalong came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, do both at once. Fourteen-year-old Bex dreams of singing her way to stardom via along with it, all the latest TV show, called 'The Tingle Factor'. All she needs to do is persuade geeky Year Ten Matthew to accompany her many daily social interactions on the guitarwhich they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848121636</amazonuk>1736128426

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=J R R TolkienTom Percival|title=Mr BlissThe Wrong Shoes

|summary=If you wanted to produce a classic of childrenWill's literaturelife is difficult, it would probably look in a lot like thismultitude of ways. It would be written by a famous name as a private exercise 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 their childreneven the most basic of things like food, with and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the author's own illustrations. It would feature college, was working a title character, with cash-in-hand job on a typical Edwardian headstrong attitude, yet with building site and had an ability to create slapstickaccident. It may well have fairytale characters as youThrow into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will've never seen them befores life seems bleak in every direction. And it would be presented in yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. He is good at art, and clings to the moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the end of a deluxelong, pristine heritage edition such as thisdark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>000743619X</amazonuk>1398527122

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=David Borgenicht1805141872|title=WCS Ultimate Adventure: Mars! (Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Adventure)The Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=34.5

|summary=How many endings do you prefer your books to have? This claims 24, is the reason I ask. I can't be sure that the original Fighting Fantasy books of old didn't Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have a lot morebeen raided. The police are baffled, as well as but only Ben knows the combat processtruth – his Maths teacher, but in this style of choose-your-own-adventure franchiseMiss Judson, two dozen isn't too bad at all. It's is really a younger-styled decision-making readsafecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Ben go on the run. But Al needs them for the under-thirteens, and follows Borgenichtone last job...''s seeming lifelong plan to get all sorts of survival info, either vital or trivial, into as many books as possible.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>081187124X</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Sarah Gibb|title=Best-loved Classics: Rapunzel|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Educators areGoodness me, apparentlythat 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. Luckily for Miss Judson, concerned at the moment at the number of children starting school pupil who don't know any of discovers her terrible secret is Ben, the old traditional fairy tales, so it's nice to see a new version son of Rapunzel that is based on the original story by The Brothers Grimm. This is a lovely book famous magician who has ambitions to share be as good as his father some day, and stays closer to the original story than Disney's 'Tangled' film.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007364806</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joanna NadinChristopher Edge|title=Penny Dreadful is a Complete CatastropheBlack Hole Cinema Club

|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=Penny is not really Penny Dreadful. She is Penny Jones. But when her encounters with Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a rat called Rooneymovie marathon at their local cinema, a cat called Barry and her cousin Georgia Mayplace that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, and her testing they're looking forward to lots of a patent burglar trap exciting films, and digging for buried treasure all end in catastrophesmany, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, is it surprising they very quickly realise that she something about this new film format is known very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But as a Disaster Magnetthey lurch from one film genre to the next, can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the cinema, and to their real lives? |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409536076</amazonuk>1839942738

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Angie SageAdam Stower|title=Septimus Heap: DarkeMurray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=The seventh son of Murray is supposed to be a seventh son has magical powershumble, tidy and friendly cat, as we all know. And Septimus one who is that sonable to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, although it took quite a time for him to find it outwhatever takes his fancy next of the two. Now But he's apprenticed to Extraordinary Wizard Marcia Overstranda bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they both use can chuck them out, she of not into the short temper and fabulous shoesregular back garden, and he's about to embark on but into a horrendously dangerous part world of his training, called Darke Weekfrightening adventure and whiffs. For this exercise he has chosen to rescue Alther This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a ghost who troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was accidentally Banished (a lot of words start with capital letters in these books) by Marcia, to be honest, but once again the baddies he's turned up and he'll have other ideas.to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408806282</amazonuk>0008561249

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean Clemens LoftusAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Ruby Rocksparkle: Her Wildly Incredible Adventure The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts

|summary=Ruby Rocksparkle and her thirteen - yes! thirteen! - siblings are all named after gemstones. Ruby's father Eli is a peasant farmer busy lad – by day an apprentice in the happy little kingdom of Felicitania. Felicitania is ruled wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a helper at the kingly King Flavian dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his beautiful second wifelovely gran, Queen Morganatoo – for there is a generation missing in the family. His son A few short years ago, Prince AlanoEli's parents were both lost to the titular race, is busily preparing for a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of a magical beast. This has made the race anathema to the day pair – but when he must rule, and a bad incident at the time for him eatery leads to find a wife confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is fast approaching. Rubyto dare to enter what he most hates, a vivid, read-headed beauty, dreams with the sole aim the prize of marrying Prince Alano. If magic at the end – the only he could ever marry a commoner - but even Ruby knows that could never bething to possibly save his gran. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1452059780</amazonuk>0571382231

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Marcus SedgwickHelen Cooper|title=The Raven Mysteries: Diamonds and DoomTaming of the Cat|rating=43.5

|summary=Edgar is on holidayOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. Well In this case, according to himprincipally, we have Brie the mouse, itup against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you's re seeing a conference where ravens meet to discuss all manner of important thingsconnection, and where they occasionally have live in a bit too much cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to eat and drinkbe the names of cheeses. Whatever. The point Anyway, Brie isshunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, hefor the way his habits don's not there when t match the last gold piece is taken other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the treasury cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and spentmakes stories based on the visuals on it. And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and Castle Otherhand is put up for salecast out. The adults don It't seem s almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to be doing anything constructive about the situation, so with Edgar away enjoying his birdly junketings, our favourite Goth Solstice and her ever-hungry brother Cudweed decide tell stories to sort things out by keep themselvesalive. And if you've ever read a Raven Mysteries book before, you will know right away that that means by This makes Brie the top dog in the time Edgar flutters homemouse community, chaosthough, mayhem and disaster as all the others had the chance to half-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. But will be the order of story have the day. successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556983</amazonuk>0571376010

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Holly WebbLauren St John|title=LilyFinding Wonder

|summary=Magic Roo's life has been banned 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 Queen since police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to buy a magician called Marius Grange killed the King thirty years beforelottery ticket. All the old magical families have been exiled When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, Lilywho she knows her dad didn's father t think very highly of. But she has been sent no one else, and so off she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. Things continue to prison on the mainland get worse for protesting against the decreeRoo, as when she and their servants have to be paid extra wages to stay on Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in the island where Lily, her sister Georgie middle of nowhere and their mother now live.then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408313499</amazonuk>0571376169

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sam GaytonAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=The Snow MerchantOscar's Lion|rating=53

|summary=Imagine if you had never seen snowWe start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to be ready for school. What would you feel as it whirled and floated across the air But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and landed on your outstretched hand admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the very first time? Look out of bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the window and see how other month. And it has transformed the coldcan shapeshift, muddy streets, how so he can take it has made the ordinary beautiful to school and the mundane astonishingit can get him out of a problem. This is And it's wonderful to have around the delight which is presented to twelve-year-old Lettie at house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the beginning of this charmingrules, whimsical taleand so on. But just as snow OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can disrupt or even kill, danger and death seek Lettiegive Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849393710</amazonuk>0008596751

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mackenzie CrookJudith Eagle|title=The Windvale SpritesStolen Songbird|rating=4.5

|summary=The Caro'hurricane' of 1987s mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, that Michael Fish famously dismissed while it was en routeRonnie, brought a lot is having to go up North to take care of destructionher sister who is unwell. So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, that we knowsomeone Caro has heard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and confused and worried. But what hasn't been known before now is that it also All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a dead body to Asa Brownhalt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's attention - the dead body of a fairyhouse, along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. Looking into things at the local library the lad But she soon finds more and more clues that herself caught up in a local eccentricmystery, two hundred years previouslyas she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, had been and all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the only other person painting somehow linked to know of the spritesgang? And what has happened to Caro' existence. s mother? But what Is she somehow involved in the clue trail leads to, Asa would never possibly suspect...mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571240712</amazonuk>0571363148

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lois LowryTania Unsworth|title=Number the StarsNowhere Island|rating=34.5

|summary=CopenhagenMeet Gil. Just twelve, 1943, and everyone from schoolgirls like Annemarie up he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are suffering from shortages, fear not homes – and loathing - all caused by Nazi occupiersfind a home for himself. But it's always been He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an open country, has Denmarkanonymous car, and no less than the King takes a daily horse lets it ride, protected in plain view by every single loyal subjecthim to his future. But 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 Jewish New Yeartwo directions of a motorway, word gets out that Jews will have a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to be hidden more discretely, things kick into actionprovide for their safety and seclusion. Annemarie Them, and her family take her best frienda mute girl also finding a home there, Ellen, to the country for safetyalbeit so much more successfully. But 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 seems death will even follow them there...just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007395205</amazonuk>1804540080

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Francesca Simon and Tony RossHelen Peters|title=Horrid Henry Friends and the Zombie Vampire Traitors|rating=4.53

|summary=He's England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the leader of the Purple Hand gangcountry pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it seems, like the eternal tormentor of his sickeningly goody two shoes brotherfemale generations before her. The other is Sidney, and the master of geta girl from a hoity-ricktoity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-quick schemespaths. He The girls are chalk and cheese, and if we hadn's met the queent guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something is amiss, tricked the tooth fairy and fought off first separately and then in combination they realise the bogey babysitter. HeLord Evesham must be a rum 's eternally misunderstood and always in troubleun. He's Horrid Henry and he Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is as charismatic made of meetings with Germans, and as hilarious as evernot only that, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842551353</amazonuk>1788004647

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sophie McKenzieJamie Littler|title=Sister, MissingArkspire

|summary=Lauren has spent a tumultuous couple of yearsTwo sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, finding her birth mother are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is an eager hunter and working trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out ways in the Badlands. Elodie is intent on getting closer to stay power in one of the lives religious districts of both Arkspire, perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of her families. To make things unbearably harderthe Watcher, her father Sam the closest to a ruler the district has died suddenly, nine months before and one of the beginning five major victors in said earlier war. Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of this story, and the constant hostility of her older sister shows no sign of abatingwhole family. Shelby, understandably But in finding something oddly magical, resents the constant attention paid Juniper might just be able to this sister who turned up out gain some power of the blue one dayher own – for good, or for very, and feels she is being ignored in consequence.very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857072889</amazonuk>0241586143

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=T H White024162343X|title=Mistress Masham's ReposeStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera

|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Ten year old Maria is an orphanI was the bad company other people got into at school. With a venal Vicar as her Guardian and a horrible governess, Maria lives I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a corner of her practically ruined stately home, with only 'god'. Where was the cook, Mrs Noakesproof? In history lessons, and an absent minded Professor as her friendsit was probably worse still. One summer's day she takes a leaking punt out on Not too long after the ornamental lake in the grounds end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the houseBritish army's successes (and occasional failures, and but we didn't dwell on an artificial island, those) in a Folly (what came to be called 'the Mistress Mashamcolonies's Repose of as want to dispute what right the title), she discovers a community of Lilliputians, army had to be there in the Peoplefirst place. At first she treats them like playthings, desperate to own them as she owns nothing else Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the Professor helps her maturity to see them as people worthy of respectapproach 'the problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849414823</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel Renee RussellThiago de Moraes|title=Dork Diaries: How to Dork Your DiaryOld Gods New Tricks|rating=34.5

|summary=#The clue is in the titleMeet Trixie. This is volume 3 Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a half in the ongoing series young goddess of adventures for Nikki Maxwellnuisance. Here But just when she gets 's being told that by her knickers into one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a right twist because her diarypower-out, which even of course contains three books of adventures lusting after electric cars, hits not just the town the school hunk's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, hating and all that powers the school bitch and copious amounts of embarrassmentInternet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, seems to realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have got lost at schooltaken the power of power from us. Her search for it takes And so she begins her into places you wouldn't expectepic quest, closer to her BFFsgather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, giants, half-gods and into a major discussion about so on known as the merits and style of creating your own diarytricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857073524</amazonuk>178845295X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Paul Stewart Hannah Gold and Chris RiddellLevi Pinfold|title=Muddle Earth TooFinding Bear|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It takes courage, and a lot of skill, to write a book which parodies not one but dozens of popular stories, and it is fortunate that Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell are just the guys for the job. They take on wizards, handsome vampires, fairies, princesses, dragons and flying carpets, and jumble the whole lot up together. The result is one hilarious, silly and thoroughly satisfying story.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230747671</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Michael Morpurgo|title=War: Stories of Conflict|rating=4

|summary=Throughout history[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], war has blighted society and April had long lasting impacts been on not only those directly involved Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and finding a ridiculously unexpected but the innocent bystanders toodelightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. This collection of stories Back home, edited by things on the magnificent Michael Morpurgo himselfdomestic and family front are a bit advanced, looks to explore but not perfect for her, and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the impacts of war islands Bear was last left on individual soldiers. For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he's OK, families she and especially children. Every story approaches conflicts from a different angle her father return to the Arctic and this ensures hope that even though there are in a good number world of short stories in the bookvery white and very dangerous things, you will never feel as if it is becoming repetitive or dull. The stories do a good job of conveying just how multi-faceted she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and complex that the concept of war isfriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447205014</amazonuk>0008582017

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Karen McCombieSimon Fox|title=You, Me and Thing: The Curse of the Jelly BabiesDeadlock

|summary=At Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the bottom of Ruby's garden there lives a Thing. He's a strange creatureforce, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a little like a squirrel (only don't suggest that to him because you'll make him ''very'' angry! But he has wingssecret place, and huge bush baby eyesjoin him on the run. Ruby and Jackson discover him They get together and decide , but barely begin to smell the 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 away from his existence secret which is all well and good until the magic startscolleagues, and then there's the curse and bearer of a bit whole heap of a problem with jelly babies!questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571272398</amazonuk>1839944420

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mary HooperCath Howe|title=VelvetMy Life on Fire|rating=4.5

|summary=The opening chapter of this book Ren's family home is destroyed in a roller-coaster of a readfire. Velvet has fainted while doing back-breaking She, gruelling work in a laundryher parents, and risks being sent to the workhouseher little brother lose everything. Quick thinking saves She doesn't have any of her jobclothes, or any of 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 eat the reader relaxesfoods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that the class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, only to learn display things that are important to them and show who they are as a shocking person. But Ren has nothing to put in a box, and shameful secret about the heroine we have already begun so she finds herself starting to likesteal things. Her fortunes soon change Small things, in true Dickensian stylethings that people might not really miss, but her troubles are not over: this same secret when they have so much already. But what will come back happen to haunt her (please excuse the pun) and put her in the power of one of the other characters.if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0747599211</amazonuk>1839942835

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom AnglebergerRob Keeley|title=Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda BookThe Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories

|summary=In this follow up to ''The Strange Case of Origami Yoda'' there Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a new paper finger puppet in school. Harvey has made himself a Darth Vader (Darth Paper) and it is, of course, turning him return to the dark sideshort story format! I hadn't read the original story The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to begin witheleven new tales, so I must admit that there were times when I wondered quite what was going on! It seems that one of the boys at school, Dwight, made an Origami Yoda finger puppet and this puppet gave each as fun to read as his classmates amazing advice, advice that helped them in their school relationships and resolved various problemsprevious offerings. Origami Yoda was, undoubtedly, using the force!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1419701274</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lesley HowarthLaura Noakes|title=Maphead|rating=4|genre=Teens|summary=MapHead and his father Ran are of the Subtle World. Ran can travel through time, make things disappear and erase human memories. MapHead can flash the map of any place across his face and bald scalp. MapHead is Cosima Unfortunate Steals a halfling and now he is almost 12, Ran has brought him to meet his human mother. As they need to pass for humans, they've taken new names - Boothe and Powers, from a random movie - practised their English, and enrolled MapHead at the same school as his half-brother. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846471206</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Rob Keeley|title=The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories Star

|summary=Would aliens like custard creams? Can fake tan hide Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in the ledger, and they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But Cosima bears the tag as a big lie? Are TV remotes sinister objects? Do secrets make you popular? Rob Keeley explores all these questions surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, and more unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a super collection of slightly spookydaring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, blackly comic short storiesshe discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. They're beautifully observed But why, and you can see what does that Rob knows children well. He body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has the emotional landscape exactly right and is equally accurate when describing - and sometimes gently mocking - peer relationships. so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848765797</amazonuk>0008579059

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Susan Cooper, Joseph Delaney, Berlie Doherty, Jamila Gavin, Matt Haig, Robin Jarvis, Derek Landy, Sam Llewellyn, Mal Peet, Philip Reeve and Eleanor UpdaleAlice M Ross|title=HauntedThe Nowhere Thief

|summary=MillyAt last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-Molly-Mandy doesn't much mind full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She also knows she should be free from worries about being an only child when found out, because she has people like Little Friend Susanthe ability to leave this world, Billy Blunt and Miss Muggins's Jilly use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to play withenter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the buildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. And what fun they have! With overnight guestseviction imminent, trips in can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the pony-trapshop? Well yes, dressing up as Proper Ladiesis the answer, running races and even forming secret clubs, there's never but the fact a dull moment.mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>023075497X</amazonuk>1839943769

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joyce Lankester BrisleyNatasha Farrant|title=Milly-Molly-Mandy's FamilyThe Rescue of Ravenwood

|summary=Millicent Margaret Amanda (thatThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk's Milly-Molly-Mandy to you '. Ravenwood is an old house, in the North of England, where Bea and me) Raffy have been living for most of their lives . They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with Father and Mother and Grandpa and Grandma and her Uncle Leo, and Aunty (Raffy is there with his mum, and Toby the dog) in they are living together as a nice white cottage with a thatched rooffamily. And do you know They have grown up swimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, she has completely at one with all sorts of adventuresthe nature around the house and loving every inch of the place. She goes out into town alone But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to fetch things for her extended family, she goes sell the property to a concert developer as it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where she they're going to live, but if they'll even knows one of the performersbe together, she gets invited to parties in the village hall, and she does it all with the company of Little Friend Susan and Billy Bluntif Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0230754988</amazonuk>0571348785

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Saviour Pirotta Robin Birch and Mark RobertsonJobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The Giant Book Unicorns of GiantsSilver Street

|summary=ThereJayden's nose is forever in a rather large giant's eye starting back at me from the cover of this book...I'm not scared though, because the book promises that the giant contained within is a gentle giant who will guard my room! And which means he really is contained within since this is knows a book set which includes a book lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of giant stories from around the world as well as a huge giant poster (over one metre high!) which , for example. Aisha is in 3D and contains moving parts!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405260084</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Cathy Cassidy|title=The Chocolate Box Girls: Marshmallow Skye|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It doesn't seem like a year since I first met the Tanberry sisters in [[Cherry Crush: The Chocolate Box Girls by Cathy Cassidy|Cherry Crush]] because they're all very fresh in my mindaddicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The five girls – four of them are called Tanberry and Cherry problem, as their mothers see it, is their step-sister – that they are all just preteen or in their early teensnever 'out there' themselves, with Honey as exploring the oldest and Coco as the youngestoutside world of Hackney, London. Honey is still not coping with the fact that her father has left – But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and is now living in Australia – or with the arrival of Paddy and Cherrya past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. On occasions For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's not just difficult – she's ''dreadful''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141384808</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=K M Grant|title=Hartslove|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=1861, Epsomseen on a bit of local footage. A young ladThe crew of the boat, Garthincluding a living gargoyle, is at are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the start of kids unknowingly have the biggest horse race magical sight needed to join in the land, astride The One, an ungainly but lightning-fast three year old who had never been ridden until just months ago. At the Dare they side of with Leila, the trackwoman on board, Garth's five sistersand her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and friends, are willing him on. How can this young jockey win the race, upon which the fate become saviours of their castle home and so much more depends? And what are we to learn after the prologue that sets all this out, that would make us want him to NOT winunseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857381873</amazonuk>0241573483

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Paul GeraghtyB09XWSXSKY|title=The HunterMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|summary=At the start of 'The Hunter'Frederick (or Fred, Jamina and her grandfather are walking in the bush collecting honey. Jamina wants to see elephants but her grandfather tells her it is unlikely because not many have been seen since the hunters camenever Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. Initially A tune, she is quite enthralled by rather like the idea ticking of hunters a clock was playing over and proclaims that she wants to be one. She starts to play at hunting but this game ends over in her becoming losthis mind. She is drawn towards a sad and desperate cry and eventually comes across a small baby elephant trying It happened every time he came to wake visit his dead mothergrandfather. She leads the baby away and hopes He hadn't really wanted to head towards home but come; after all around she senses danger , he's ten now and is aware that the poachers are never that far away. She feels hunted herself and through this journey she comes all those old clocks don't appeal to realise that hunting is bad and that she no longer wishes to become a hunterhim anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849393761</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Fiona Dunbar|title=Kitty Slade: Fire and Roses|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=In ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the second in the Kitty Slade series, Kitty lives with her Greek grandmother (Maro) who home educates Kitty, her brother Sam and sister Flossietime. And time isn't good for anything.. Kitty has a rare condition: she can see ghosts. On a trip to Oxenden to stay with Maro's friends, Kitty experiences some strange Poltergeist-type phenomena, and discovers that the family of Sir Ambrose Vyner (Maro's friends Dinky, Charlie and their children Louis and Emily) are under a curse.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408309297</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Ian Beck|title=The Hidden Kingdom|rating=5|genre=Teens|summary=Prince Osamu is a pampered, spoiled young orphan who has never known friends his own age or been told what to doAnd that was why he was looking at the clock beside the bed. He spends his life surrounded by beauty and riches in a world where most people do not even dare to raise their eyes to his face, collecting It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the exquisite pots made by Master Masumi and writing poemsclock chimed only six times. His tutors have told him about the demons of Hades which try, every few centuries, There was nothing for it but to break through the barrier and take over this world, go and that it is his responsibility to repel them, find grandad - but where was he dismisses ? And why had all this as old wivesthe clocks stopped at twelve o' tales. And then one night the forces of the Emissary attack the palace, and every certainty he had is gone in a flash.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192755633</amazonuk>clock?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Martin KingNigel Baines|title=Jack Hunter - Secret A Tricky Kind of the KingMagic|rating=34.5|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Jack Hunter was not impressed by the idea of moving from Southend Cooper loves to Barnoldswickperform magic tricks. It His father was a long journeymagician, he'd left all his friends behind and to cap it all named Cooper after the rather sassy girl next door announced that his bedroom was hauntedgreat Tommy Cooper. The family had moved north because his MumBut sadly Cooper's father was getting a bit frail and needed looking afterdied suddenly, but when Jack goes to see Grandad he realises that there's a lot more to the old man than meets the eye. He has a secret to share with Jack – and a gold coin which does seem to show that what Grandad says about buried treasure is true. He hunted for it for years and now he's handed the quest on to Jack.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B005EIQ3ZE</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jana Oliver|title=The Demon Trappers: Forbidden|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=After the demon attack on the Tabernacle, Riley Blackthorne has got a lot to think about. Her (dead) Father turned up to warn her about the impending attack, but just made him and Riley look guilty in the process. Riley Cooper doesn't care about that, she wants to quite know who reanimated her Father and stole his body. Her bet is on Ozymandiasto be, the creepiest of all the necromancers – plus she did tick him offor how to be.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0330519484</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Gareth P Jones|title=The Considine Curse|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Fourteen-year-old Mariel and her mother emigrated to Australia And when she was very small. Ithis dad's just the two of themprop rabbit starts talking to him, apart from her motherhe ''really's succession of boyfriends, and Mariel has always believed they have no family and are alone in the world. Then one day her mother tells her that her maternal grandmother has died and that they're going back to England for the funeral. And whatdoesn's more, when she gets there she will meet her five uncles and six cousins for the first time since she was a baby. Mariel is both angry and mystified. Why did her mother keep the information about the family a secret? What right did she have to deny Mariel the opportunity to belong to a big loving family group? And t know what was it about Grandma that made her mother hate her so much? But Mariel's mother, true to form, won't answer any of her questions, and relations between them remained strained throughout the book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408811510</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Rob Stevens|title=S.T.I.N.K.B.O.M.B.: Secret Team of Intrepid-Natured Kids Battling Odious Masterminds, Basically|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Archie loves planes, and is never happier than when his pilot father lets him take the controls of his Dragonfly 600 jet aircraft, with its ability to hover, move at five times the speed of a helicopter and land and take off vertically. But in the honourable tradition of the hidden hero, his slightly nerdy preoccupation with flying, not to mention going round with chocolate-guzzling Barney who lives in a dream-world of spies, conspiracies and enemy agents, gets him bullied at school and nagged at by his teachers.on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330530240</amazonuk>1444960261

{{newreview|author=Adam Gidwitz|title=A Tale Dark and Grimm|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Not many books begin with the hero and heroine losing their heads (literally) before page thirty. And that's not the only misfortune Move on to befall Hansel and his sister. No sooner are their heads and necks reunited, and they've fled their murderous parents, than the two children find themselves in front of an edible house. And we all know what happens if you eat people's homes, don't we? Well, maybe.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849393702</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Cookery Reviews]]