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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Francesca Simon and Tony RossMax Boucherat|title=A Horrid Factbook: Horrid Henry's SportsThe Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=4.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Horrid Henry is back with another book of freaky facts and random trivia. We loved his book about [[A Horrid Factbook: Horrid Henrymeet Lori on the first evening she's Bodies by Francesca Simon and Tony Ross|Bodies]] and this time got the lovable lad (wellhouse to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, I'm sure that's what his mother said...) is back with a book about sportat work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. And What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and that is to log on to Voxminer, the year of the London Olympic Gamesworld-building, what could be more suitable? Itcritter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's not just world. But first Lori has a crammer for [[How to Watch tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and then she finds something even more spooky. For the Olympics: Scores server she and laws, heroes her bestie and zeros – an instant initiation nobody else should be able to every sport by David Goldblatt and Johnny Acton|every sport in the Games]] or [[The Story enter shows signs of the Olympics by Richard Brassey|the background to the Games]] themselvestampering. This is the book which swoops into the World Cow Poo Throwing Contest When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and delves into her safe place in the Bog Snorkling Championships.game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444001647</amazonuk>0008666482

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ivan BrettKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Casper Candlewacks in the Claws of Crime!Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|summary=This is the second outing for Casper and his friend Lamp, who likes inventing things, but don't worry if you haven't read the first book: this one is fine as a stand-aloneMeet Kit. Casper's village is chock-full of idiots, who spend their time doing such ridiculous things you wonder how Like most of them managed to survive to adulthood. But the idiocy people in these books does not encourage the readerhis world, or indeed the authorit seems, to sneer: rather, it he is a fond and glorious celebration an avid fan of eccentricity taken to such extremes that it almost seems Dungeon Running – the sport where a different form team of sanity. And it seems little lasting damage is donewarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, either. People fall downmagical mazes, over and into things regularly, but never seem race to suffer anything worse than a few cuts and bruises. A poor old lady in a wheelchair is thumped over the headexit, but perhaps bothering with the next time we see her she's grinning at treasure or the crowd big bad and slapping her head to demonstrate what happenedthe points they grant you along the way. And Casper Unfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's mum is such a bad cook she doesn't even take food out seen of the tin before cooking itlatest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, but no one starves. All in alleaten, reading and enjoying the antics of the inhabitants of Corne-on-the-Kobb requires a major suspension new trio of disbeliefquestors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, which is of course not going he has taken to be a problem for the majority goading from the token bully of the confident readers these books are written forhis world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. Indeed What chance does this friendless, the only difficulty such readers are going to muscle-free-zone have is in actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to get through a whole paragraph of the book without dashing off to find someone to read a choice expression or joke to.succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>000741157X</amazonuk>1839945184

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Stephen MackeyJames Sherwood Metts|title=PushkaPlanet Storyland|rating=34.5

|summary=The circus train is coming to town and little Pushka is asleep in Things have been a bit sticky for the last wagonEarthlings. UnfortunatelyAI and automation have been proceeding apace, he topples out often replacing jobs they're paid to do and wakes up in fright amongst the enchanted trees of the forestother tasks that took time to accomplish. He is scared by enormous thuds on the ground but then he spies a beautiful dancing girl Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and instantly falls in love. Little does he know that the lovely girlstarting to think of other, Lulunew ways to spend time, is a puppet and there is along came an evil giant controlling her strings awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and using her to lure Pushka to danger. He finds himself in a lot of trouble when he is enticed into the giant's oven , along with its fierce burning flames. Luckilyit, all the giant does not reckon many daily social interactions on the strength of the love that Lulu feels for her new friend, at it is the power of this that helps her to save himwhich they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444901346</amazonuk>1736128426

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Wendy MeddourTom Percival|title=A Hen in the WardrobeThe Wrong Shoes|rating=45

|summary=It was a quiet night in Cinnamon GroveWill's life is difficult, with all its residents settled in for a peaceful night's sleepmultitude of ways. But all He is not well with everyone. At number 32bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', there is a sudden crash he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and Ramzis’ dad is on the move… looking doesn't have enough money for a hen in even the wardrobe! But that isn’t all. So farmost basic of things like food, Dad has been chasing frogs across and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the pantry floorcollege, searching for was working a leopard cash-in -hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the back garden fact that his mum and sailing to the moon dad are separated, and Will's life seems bleak in the bathtubevery direction. Dad is sleep-walking again And yet, because he is homesickstill has a tiny amount of hope. The only solution He is for good at art, and clings to the family to take off for an extended visit to his homemoments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a Berber village in light at the mountains end of Algeria. While there, Ramzi encounters Boulelli (a giant spider in the forest)long, the Wise Man of the mountains and the native Tuareq in the desert in an effort to solve Dad’s problem for gooddark tunnel. But will any of it work? Or will it be up to Ramzi and his secret plan to save the day?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847802257</amazonuk>1398527122

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=R J Palacio1805141872|title=WonderThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley

|summary=August Pullman was born with ''Seventeen banks and a rare genetic defect that has caused extreme facial disfiguration. He has undergone 27 surgeries since he was born and has always jeweller’s have been vulnerable to illnessraided. In order to deal with The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the truth – his medical needs Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and to shield him from the staring her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and cruelty of Ben go on the world, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents for his entire liferun. But Auggie is stronger now and all of that is about to changeAl needs them for one last job. Auggie is about to enter school for the first time – and he’s petrified. ‘Wonder’ is the story of Auggie’s first year at Beecher Prep and his first journey alone into the outside world. But can he confront the challenges that wait for him there and convince his classmates, new friends, family and himself that, underneath his unusual appearance, he is just the same as everybody else?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0370332288</amazonuk>}}''

{{newreview|author=Alex T Smith|title=Claude at the Circus|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It's no secret Goodness me, that I am Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a big fan of Alex T Smithbad 'un like Al? We'll find out. I first discovered him in Claude's first storyLuckily for Miss Judson, [[Claude in the City by Alex T Smith|Claude in the City]] and fell in love with the little dog in the red beret and his best friendpupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, Sir Bobblysock. I know, I can already sense some of you rolling your eyes at the thought son of a story featuring a dog and a sockfamous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, but really you'd be doing yourself a favour to just stop being a grown up for fifteen minutes and let yourself revel in the pleasure of a highly enjoyable story!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340999039</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ellie DainesChristopher Edge|title=Lolly LuckBlack Hole Cinema Club

|summary=Lolly really is called Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the nickname of 'LuckThe Black Hole'. Her first name is Lollyanna but everyone who knows her calls her Lolly orAll big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of exciting films, just occasionallyand many, Lollipop. many snacks! And she really is luckyHowever, winning magazine competitionsas the movie starts, raffles and scratch card prizes - but all they very quickly realise that something about this changes on her eleventh birthday when she goes home from school expecting that the family new film format is going to have a great evening at a local restaurant very different, and hat she'll be given the bike shethey are swept up into an adventure they couldn's been dreaming aboutt even imagine. She gets But as they lurch from one film genre to the bikenext, but her dad has bad news. can they figure out what on earth is going on? He's been made redundant. At first it's not too bad but then Will they ever get back to the reality of long-term unemployment kicks in cinema, and the family lose to their home. Then Lolly overhears an argument between her parents and discovers something which will change her life.real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849393966</amazonuk>1839942738

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Maudie SmithAdam Stower|title=Opal MoonbabyMurray and Bun

|summary=Martha has decided that she will never have Eli is a friend again. She and Chloe used to be very closebusy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, but then Colette came along and suddenly Martha was out in the coldevening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. If she doesn't ''do'' friendship than Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is no way that she can be hurt againa generation missing in the family. Life isn't easy at home - itA few short years ago, Eli's just herparents were both lost to the titular race, her mother and her younger brother, Robbie a globe- as money is tighttrotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of a magical beast. Her mother This has gone back made the race anathema to hairdressing (or ''head refurbishments'' as her employer calls it) and would like Martha the pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to spend time enter what he most hates, with Chloe during the day. Martha has other calls on her time though. She's met an aliensole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444004786</amazonuk>0571382231

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Marissa MeyerHelen Cooper|title=The Lunar Chronicles: Cinder|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=This Cinderella does not have to sweep the grate and clean the dishes - she has to mend maglev vehicle tracks. This Cinders does not leave her shoe behind when invited to the ball, she has her entire foot fall off. This Cinder does not live in a realm of fairy queens and pumpkin carriages, but New Beijing, a massive city Taming of just two and a half million, due to the Fourth World War. She's a cyborg - hence the foot, but she's still owned by a crotchety bigot of a step-mother, with two step-sisters. And this is a very different world, where a global plague is going to be brought too close to home...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141340134</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Melody James|title=Signs of Love: Love MatchCat|rating=43.5

|summary=Gemma Stone’s ambition Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in life is to be case you're seeing a famous journalist – so when connection, they live in a school webzine is started, she jumps at cheese shop and therefore all the chance names used here seem to take partbe the names of cheeses. She quickly finds out Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, thoughmous-tracised, for the way his habits don't match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the visuals on it. And that things aren’t as glamorous story-telling will come in the media as she’d imaginedhandy one night, especially when she’s 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 makes Brie the youngest person involved and gets stuck with top dog in the job of writing horoscopes. Then a fluke prediction or two make her new column a must readmouse community, though, and she realises there’s as all the others had the potential chance to set up her firend Treacle with half-inch some cheese while the boy she’s been watching from afar… cat was distracted. But will the path of true love be lit up by story have the starssuccessful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857073222</amazonuk>0571376010

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jonathan MeresLauren St John|title=May Cause Irritation (The World of Norm)Finding Wonder

|summary=ThereRoo's no need, it seemslife 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 her dad has dropped dead on his way to point out how unfair the world is corner shop to you when you're buy a twelve year old ladlottery ticket. Norm certainly When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, who she knows that already - despite the lavatorial accidents in [[May Contain Nuts (The World her dad didn't think very highly of Norm) by Jonathan Meres|book . But she has no one]]else, his younger brothers are going and so off she goes to be bought a dog, the ultra-annoying ''perfect cousins'' are overloaded live with opportunity and spanking new mobile phones, and the girl next door has just posted a photo of him, naked, on Facebookher unreliable aunt. Such causes Things continue to get worse for desperation require a very desperate fightbackRoo, as when she and thatJoni leave London in Joni's what Norm is going to give us...old campervan, it breaks down in the middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408313049</amazonuk>0571376169

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gary Crew Adam Baron and Shaun TanBenji Davies|title=The ViewerOscar's Lion|rating=43

|summary=The story concerns We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a young lad who loves scavenging couple of times before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and exploringadmitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. Finding But there are benefits to having a Hellraiser-styled box of tricks contains lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that ruined a Viewmaster-type machinebirthday party for Oscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, so he puts can take it to his eyes school and sees something it can get him out of a lot problem. And it's wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more serious thanlax about the rules, say, a Thunderbirds episode in thirty 3D images, which was all I ever saw in mineand so on. InsteadOK, Tristan sees nothing it can't work a dimmer switch but death and destruction, and it can give Oscar a compelling sense of - well, somethingwonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0734411898</amazonuk>0008596751

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Deirdre MaddenJudith Eagle|title=Jasper and the Green MarvelThe Stolen Songbird

|summary=Have you read [[SnakesCaro' Elbows by Deirdre Madden|Snakes' Elbows]] yets mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is 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? If notSent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, you really shouldshe feels frustrated and confused and worried. And although you can follow All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this story without having read the first one itstaid old Victorian lady's much nicer to know all about everyone reallyhouse, along with an orphan boy, Albie, isn't it? who is living there too. SoBut she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, letas she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's carry on as if you have read ''Snakes' Elbows'' so you know old suitcase, and all about across London a fearsome gang called the little town of Woodford Snakes are thieving artworks and a certain millionaire who lives there called Jasper Jellitterrorising people. He's a rather nasty piece of work, and it was with great relief at Is the end of painting somehow linked to the first book that we saw him get locked up in prison. gang? However, heAnd what has happened to Caro's served his time and he's just been released back into mother? Is she somehow involved in the community, which can only mean more trouble for Woodford...mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571260071</amazonuk>0571363148

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robert SwindellsTania Unsworth|title=A Skull in Shadows LaneNowhere Island

|summary=The war has ended but life Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is still pretty dour Josh so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and Jintyfind a home for himself. Rationing He is still in place en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it's difficult to get enough to eat, let alone anything that's nice ride him to eat. Most of the Yanks have gone homehis future. And they're about That future seems to head into 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 coldest winters on record. Kicking around looking for some excitementtwo directions of a motorway, the siblings decide a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to explore the deserted cottage in Shadows Laneprovide for their safety and seclusion. Even though rumours say the house is haunted Them, they don't really expect to find anything. So the discovery of and a mute girl also finding a human tooth in lane is rather home there, albeit so much more than they had bargained forsuccessfully. And when Over a skeletal face appears at the windowfew weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, they hot foot or if this is one place where life as we would want it just as quickly as they can... would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552564095</amazonuk>1804540080

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Deirdre MaddenHelen Peters|title=Snakes' ElbowsFriends and Traitors|rating=4.53

|summary=Barney BarringtonEngland, WW2. Two young girls are new at the millionaire pianistcountry pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, is returning destined to live be in his home town of Woodfordservice all her life it seems, but like the current local millionaire, Jasper Jellit, doesn't like it one little bitfemale generations before her. Jasper revels in parading around town as the most extravagant millionaireThe other is Sidney, throwing ridiculous parties to show off his riches, and he resents the entrance of a competitor to the towngirl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. Barney, however, lives a quietThe girls are chalk and cheese, reclusive life and wants no part in Jasperif we hadn's shenaniganst guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But when a raresomething is amiss, beautiful painting comes up for sale and first separately and then in combination they both decide they want itrealise the Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. JasperMidnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, much like a spoilt childtalk is made of meetings with Germans, will stop at nothing to get his wayand not only that, but he may have a fight on his hands since there local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are a few animals who intend to save wrong, and the day...!upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>057127336X</amazonuk>1788004647

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Karen McCombieJamie Littler|title=You Me and Thing: The Dreaded Noodle-doodles Arkspire|rating=4.5

|summary=We first met Thing Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in [[Youillicit magic, Me and Thing: The Curse including relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the Jelly Babies by Karen McCombie|Youreligious districts of Arkspire, Me and Thing: The Curse perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of the Jelly Babies]] where he caused rather Watcher, the closest to a lot ruler the district has, and one of chaos with a large number 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 jelly babiesthe whole family. He's back againBut in finding something oddly magical, and this time he reallyJuniper might just be able to gain some power of her own – for good, or for very, really wants to go to school with Ruby and Jackson... it can only end in disaster!very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571272592</amazonuk>0241586143

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Francesca Simon024162343X|title=Horrid Henry's A - Z of Everything HorridStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=45|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Francesca SimonI was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 's Horrid Henry is a very popular little boygod'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, although you might have a different opinion if you actually had to put up with his antics yourselfit was probably worse still. A slightly modernised embodiment Not too long after the end of WWII, I didn'slugs t so much want to learn about the British army's successes (and snails and puppy dogsoccasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called ' tailsthe colonies' concept of boyhood, Henry is naughtiness personifiedas want to dispute what right the army had to be there in the first place. Looking back, combining irreverence for authority with a huge dose of grossI still believe I was right -out crude humour but I regret that really appeals I lacked the maturity to approach 'the target readership of early primary school childrenproblem' politely. Add a somewhat nostalgic, timeless feel, trademark alliterations, subtle (and not so subtle) digs at family dynamics, sibling rivalry and particularly at modern middle-class manners and sensibilities and you have a winning character and a base for a very successful edutainment franchiseI wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444002260</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alan GibbonsThiago de Moraes|title=Street of Tall PeopleOld Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5

|summary=It's the East End of LondonMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and it's 1936adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, and it's she could almost be thought a time young goddess of fightingnuisance. Jewish lad Benny, and Jimmy, whoBut just when she's rather more Cbeing told that by her one-oflast-chance-Egiving headteacher, are going to become firm friends through having a boxing bout against each otherthe world changes. Benny is fighting against the more extreme antiSuddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-Goyim sentiments out, even of his neighbour Yaroelectric cars, hits not just the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Jimmy has to fightTrixie, it seems, against lifeluckily, realises what with his father dieing and his mother having found a new boyfriend, putting a sense has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of social outcast on the ladpower from us. And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all through this is the fight to comepeople that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, around ie the cornersemi-deities, giants, against Oswald Mosley's Blackshirtshalf-gods and so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1907869239</amazonuk>178845295X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frank Cottrell BoyceHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=The Unforgotten CoatFinding Bear

|summary=Julie lives in Bootle [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and is in her last year of primary schoolfinding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. She's like every little girl Back home, hoping to be invited to her friends' houses for tea things on the domestic and just beginning to think about boys. She's never thought much about the world outside Bootle family front are a bit advanced, but the arrival of Chingis not perfect for her, and his younger brother Nergui is about to change all that. The two boys are nomads so can easily be ignored when word comes through from Mongolia and they arrive at school the islands Bear was last left on . For a hot summerbear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he's dayOK, wearing traditional Mongolian furry coats she and hats. Taking a shine to Julie, Chingis appoints her his Good Guide father return to the UK. And Arctic and hope that in return he tells her stories a world of horsemen very white and eagles very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and shows her Polaroid photos of a land far awaydangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406333859</amazonuk>0008582017

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alan EarlySimon Fox|title=Arthur Quinn and the World Serpent (The Father of Lies Chronicles)Deadlock

|summary=When Joe Quinn Late one night Graham Blake is offered a great job working late back from his shift on the new Metro tunnelsforce, and then suddenly rings Archie, within just demanding he fetch something from a few dayssecret place, he and join him on the run. They get together, 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 son Arthur have packed up colleagues, and moved from the bearer of a peaceful life in Kerry across country to central Dublinwhole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1856358275</amazonuk>1839944420

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Melanie WelshCath Howe|title=Heart of StoneMy Life on Fire|rating=45

|summary=WeRen're s family home is destroyed in a fire. She, her parents, and her little brother lose everything. She doesn't have any of her clothes, 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 foods they normally eat. When she goes back in to school she discovers that the coastal town class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of Wellow their lives, to catch up with Verity Gallant display things that are important to them and her palsshow who they are as a person. Verity But Ren has had nothing to put in a marvellous summer spent sailing with Henry but we all know peaceful times are unlikely box, and so she finds herself starting to last.steal things. Small things, things that people might not really miss, not when they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0385617674</amazonuk>1839942835

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dave SheltonRob Keeley|title=A The Boy Who Disappeared and a Bear in a BoatOther Stories|rating=4.5

|summary=''A boy and Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a bear go return to sea, equipped with a suitcase, a comic book and ukulele. They are only travelling a the short distance and it really shouldn't take too long. But then their boat encounters "unforeseeable anomalies"... Faced with turbulent stormy seas, a terrifying sea monster and the rank remains of story format! The Very Last SandwichBoy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, the odds soon become pitted against our unlikely heroeseach as fun to read as his previous offerings.''|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0385618964</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Adele Geras, Anne Fine, Henrietta Branford, Jacqueline Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Philip Pullman, Tony Mitton, Alan Garner, Berlie Doherty, Gillian Cross, Kit Wright, Michael Morpurgo, Susan Gates and Linda Newbery Laura Noakes|title=Magic BeansCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star

|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=I was attracted to this book because it features stories from [[:Category:Jacqueline Wilson|Jacqueline Wilson]]Meet Number One. Or rather, [[:Category:Philip Pullman|Philip Pullman]]Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, [[:Category:Michael Morpurgo|Michael Morpurgo]]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, [[:Category:Alan Garner|Alan Garner]] and many other prominent childrenthey's writersre all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. I thought it might make But Cosima bears the tag as a great Christmas or birthday present (surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, and it would)unique in having no known family in the outside world. There's During a selection of stories daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from traditional sources such as Hans Christian Andersenthe kitchen one afternoon, and Aesop, and I imagine that she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the authors were inveigled into writing girls for publisher David Fickling with a free choice of original storieshis Institute. So don't expect a collection or compendiumBut why, but rather an anthology of tales and what does that have entranced and inspired these writers in their own childhoods body entail? – magic beans indeed.And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857560433</amazonuk>0008579059

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Steve BackshallAlice M Ross|title=PredatorsThe Nowhere Thief|rating=4.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Many readers would probably know that on At last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-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 found out, because she has the simple count ability to leave this world, and use an unworldly portal of humans they helped kaleidoscope colours to dispatchenter other worlds, mosquitoes may be where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the most deadly animals everbuildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. But did you know that if you take into account With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the success rate of huntsshop? Well yes, diversity and spreadis the answer, ladybirds are but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more successful predators than tigers? questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444004174</amazonuk>1839943769

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Nicola PierceNatasha Farrant|title=Spirit The Rescue of the TitanicRavenwood

|summary=Samuel Joseph Scott was fifteen years This story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old when he landed a job house, in the Belfast shipyards. But when Sam plunges to his death while working on construction North of the magnificent TitanicEngland, he doesn't leave her behindwhere Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. Sam becomes They are part of a spirit on boardcomplex, extended family arrangement, realising his dream of sailing away as Bea is there with his beloved Titanic on her first... Uncle Leo, andRaffy is there with his mum, of course final voyageand they are living together as a family. Sam roams freely throughout They have grown up swimming in the shipcove, from roaming through the luxurious first class trees, completely at one with all of the way down to the engine room. He observes nature around the lives house and loving every inch of the people on board, become privy to their hopes, dreams and fears. Sam takes particular interest in one third-class family, Jim, Isobel and their children, as they sail away to their new and better life in Americaplace. But when disaster threatens now the lives of all on boardhouse is under threat, can Sam find a way as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to lead sell the family property to safety? And what will become of Sam a developer as the Titanic sinks it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to the oceanlive, but if they's bed?ll even be together, and if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847171907</amazonuk>0571348785

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Garrett CarrRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Deep Deep DownSecret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street

|summary=Ewan can see monsters, wherever he is. ThatJayden's not because he has any special abilities - unlike his friend May, who can telepathically talk to the animals, or Andrew, who starts this nose is forever in a book a sub-human, with which means he knows a Hellboy-type mutated lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and very mighty armunicorns of the world, and demons writhing inside him sending him berserkfor example. NoAisha is addicted to her new tablet, Ewan where she can see monsters everywhere he looks because life videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is like that - especially adultsthey are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the outside world of Hackney, London. So But when May decides a fabled pool of magical water is what can cure Andrewnarrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they go and find an idyllic place a magical world they never knew existed. For many of long lifethose mythological creatures are real, peace and Utopiaincluding the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. And still Ewan can see monstersThe crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in. But which Dare they side is with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of more danger to the otherunseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847386008</amazonuk>0241573483

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Cat ClarkeB09XWSXSKY|title=TornMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|summary=Most people will be aware of the story of the Borrowers. First published in 1952Frederick (or Fred, it has been dramatised several timesbut never Freddy, most recently as Arriettyplease) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the beautiful Studio Ghibli animated film. A little girl called Kate is told ticking of a story by an elderly lady, Mrs May, who lodges with her parentsclock was playing over and over in his mind. Her brother was sent as a small boy It happened every time he came to stay with an elderly great-aunt in a large house near Leighton Buzzard, a market town in the Home Countiesvisit his grandfather. He is recovering from a serious illness. The house is an ideal place for the Clock familyhadn't really wanted to come; after all, tiny people who survive by he'borrowing' from humans (even their names - Pod, Homily s ten now and Arrietty - sound as though theyall those old clocks don're repurposed from human names. However, the boy spots Arrietty, and this leads t appeal to disaster for the Borrowershim anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444005812</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Cathy MacPhail|title=Out of ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the Depths|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It must be cool to have some superpower, right? Be able to fly, or hold your breath for an hour underwater, or see dead people? Hmm time. . . not so much. Tyler And time isn't at all impressed when she suddenly starts to see people who really shouldn't be there, and neither are her classmatesgood for anything... In fact, they think she's either lying to get attention, or she's insane. And Tyler is beginning to wonder if they're right.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747599092</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Chris Barnardo|title=Dragonolia|rating=4|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=This book is, first of all, a rather beautiful book to behold. The red cloth hardback cover with And that was why he was looking at the curled-up golden dragon on clock beside the front immediately make you want to pick it up and look inside! bed. Itwas nearly twelve o's also a rather unusual book, being a mix of both fiction and non-fiction, so when you begin it you're initially not quite sure what you're looking clock but atmidnight the clock chimed only six times. As you read on you discover that there's a story running throughout by Sir Richard Barons, a famous dragon hunter, There was nothing for it but to go and with each story find grandad - but where was he tells there is also a craft project of something related to make!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904967248</amazonuk>? And why had all the clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Joan Aiken and Jan PienkowskiNigel Baines|title=The Kingdom Under the SeaA Tricky Kind of Magic

|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=I do like Cooper loves to perform magic tricks. His father was a good collection of fairytalesmagician, and by that I mean the rather more menacing, edgy versions, rather than named Cooper after the sanitised re-tellings that we often seegreat Tommy Cooper. Here Joan Aiken is retelling some European fairytales But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, and they are full of dragons and mermaids and goblins and witchesnow Cooper doesn't quite know who to be, or how to be. ItAnd when his dad's prop rabbit starts talking to him, he ''really'' doesn't know what's exactly the sort of more unusual collection of stories that would have kept me happy and quiet going on a dull, rainy afternoon as a child and it has the added attraction of many atmospheric and beautiful illustrations by Pienkowski. anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857550098</amazonuk>1444960261