Open main menu

Changes

no edit summary
[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jane ElsonMax Boucherat|title=How to Fly with Broken WingsThe Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Willem doesnWe meet Lori on the first evening she't usually find homework challengings 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. He 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 good at schoolworkworld. But Mrs Hubert first Lori has given him an assignment hea tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn's going to t find difficult. He must make two friends of his herself entirely on her own age. That's tricky when you're on the autistic spectrum , and you don't communicate well. It's then she finds something even more difficult when almost all your classmates join in with Finn when he bullies you and makes you jump from increasingly high placesspooky. Sasha is torn. She loves Finn to pieces but For the server she can't bear bullying and she hates herself for not standing her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up for Willem. And Finn on her phone screen, and her safe place in the game has been doctored – well, where is a secret of his own that's driving his rotten behaviour.girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444916769</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mick Manning Kieran Larwood and Brita Granstrom Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Viking LongshipDungeon Runners: Hero Trial|rating=3.54|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=''Fly on Meet Kit. Like most of the Wall'' people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a new series team of history books by awardwarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-winning duo Manning old, magical mazes, and Granström, which aim to bring history race to life for young readers. ''Viking Longship'' is the story of Grimmexit, a Viking warrior who buys a broken ship called perhaps bothering with the treasure or the Sea Dragon big bad and fixes it up to set sail in search of pastures newthe points they grant you along the way. The story follows GrimmUnfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's progress as he invades England with his band seen of warriors and then creates a farm settlement where his family can live in peace. The book touches the latest race on various aspects of Viking life before coming full circle when the settlement inn TV equivalent is raided by Saxonsthat one team has been retired, eaten, culminating in a Viking funeral and a final image new trio of questors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the longboat token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in flames.actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806244</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alice HoffmanJames Sherwood Metts|title=NightbirdPlanet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=TTwig's mother is Things have been a bit sticky for the most beautiful woman in SidwellEarthlings. She bakes famous Pink Apple piesAI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Makes delicious lavender honey butterJust as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of other, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Has an exotic Life was pretty much shut down and mysterious past. And Twig loves her , along with everything she's got. But not it, all is well in Twig's world. Friends aren't allowed. Because a friend might discover the secret kept many daily social interactions on which they depend so carefully by Twig and her mother. There is a centuries-old curse on their family. So Twig is a lonely girl..heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471124215</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom Tom Percival|title=Roman FortThe Wrong Shoes|rating=45|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Will''Fly on the Wall'' s life is difficult, in a new series multitude of history books by award-winning duo Manning and Granström, which aim to bring history to life for young readersways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes'Roman Fort, he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and doesn' follows t have enough money for even the adventures most basic of Centurion Vespian as things like food, and his dad can't work because he escorts lost his job at the lady Lepidina college, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and her son to had an accident. Throw into that mix the safety of the Roman fort to celebrate her best friendfact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will's birthdaylife seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. Along He is good at art, and clings to the waymoments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the story touches on various aspects end of Roman life, including clothing, family lifea long, buildings and religiondark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806252</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Garth Jennings1805141872|title=The Deadly SevenTeacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Most of us do our best to live our lives as polite, sensible, clean human beings''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. After allThe police are baffled, society would soon fall apart if we grabbed whatever we wantedbut only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher, always said the first thing that came into our headsMiss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and punched anyone who annoyed us. But admit it - deep downher gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, there are moments when you'd just love to bop some irritating twit Miss Judson and Ben go on the nose, shred your report card and use it as hamster litter, eat a whole box of chocolates in run. But Al needs them for one go, then burp every single verse of The Twelve Days of Christmas, right? Seriously - never? Hmm last job. . . not sure you're being entirely honest there' Goodness me, palthat 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.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1447251717</amazonuk>Luckily for Miss Judson, the pupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, the son of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, and who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Danny WallaceChristopher Edge|title=Hamish and the WorldstoppersBlack Hole Cinema Club|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Something strange is happening to HamishLucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, or happening around him, or actuallya place that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, if wethey're being specificlooking forward to lots of exciting films, and many, things are ''not'' happeningmany snacks! He is finding that suddenlyHowever, in as the middle of a perfectly normal daymovie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, everything stops except himand they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. So But as they lurch from one film genre to the people around him are frozennext, the birds are stuck mid wing-flap, planes hang un-moving in the sky, and Hamish can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the only one who can still move around! What is causing these strange pausescinema, and is there anything Hamish can do about itto their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147112388X</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Malorie BlackmanAdam Stower|title=Robot GirlMurray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Dyslexia FriendlyConfident Readers |summary=Claire Murray is excited and she's ''nagging'' her mother supposed to tell her what her father has been doing in his laboratorybe a humble, but her mother is no wiser than she is tidy and tells Claire that she will simply have to wait until her father friendly cat, one who is ready able to show her what sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. But he's been doing. Hea 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, not into the regular back garden, but into a famous inventor world of frightening adventure and Claire knows that whatever it is will be excitingwhiffs. For now all she can do This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to tell her pen friend - be honest, but he's turned up and be patient.he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781124590</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Emma BarnesAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Wild Thing Goes CampingThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=Wild Thing Eli is truly wild, keeping worms a busy lad – by day an apprentice in her grandma's handbagthe wondrous library we start by visiting with him, building dens in muddy holes and in the gardenevening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, or setting up camps, complete with sticks ready too – for there is a fire, generation missing in her big sister's bedroom! the family. SheA few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to the titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the sort company of child who sends her parents grey in their twenties! a magical beast. Poor Kate, her older sister, is stuck being This has made the race anathema to the sensible one in pair – but when a bad incident at the familyeatery leads to a confession from gran, trying Eli knows his only hope is to keep an eye on Wild Thing and help her dad out (her mum died when Wild Thing was very little)dare to enter what he most hates, and with the sole aim the strain prize of always being sensible and reliable begins to show and Kate starts magic at the end – the only thing to think maybe she'd like to be wild too!possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407137972</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jacqueline WilsonHelen Cooper|title=The Butterfly ClubTaming of the Cat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Tina is a triplet but you'd never know itOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. Sisters Maddie and Phil are much bigger In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, much livelier up against Gorgonzola the cat – and much louder than sickly little Tinain case you're seeing a connection, who had they live in a heart problem when she was born cheese shop and spent months in an incubatortherefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. She's never caught them up. Her health Anyway, Brie is still delicate tooshunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, so Tina doesnfor the way his habits don't play rough games match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and is forbidden from most sport at schoolmakes stories based on the visuals on it. At this rate And that story-telling will come in handy one night, she'll never catch up with Phil when he feels all alone and Maddie. But Tina doesn't mind too muchcast out. She It's protected at school by her sisters and coddled at home by her motheralmost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. Life This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, despite its smallnessthough, is pretty sweet for Tina..as all the others had the chance to half-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857533177</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Marcus Sedgwick and Pete Williamson (illustrator)Lauren St John|title=Creepy Caves (Elf Girl and Raven Boy)Finding Wonder|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=WeRoo've come a long way together, Elf Girls life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, Raven Boy and I. I wasn't there quite at now she finds herself awoken in the start middle of their adventures, but jumped the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on at [[Monster Mountains: Raven Boy and Elf Girl 2 by Marcus Sedgwick|his way to the corner shop to buy a suitably early stage,]] and met up with them a bit here and there sincelottery ticket. It was obvious from the startWhen asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, when all six alliterative titles were announcedJoni, that the final battle would be the pair – and his rat called Rat – battling the Goblin Kingwho she knows her dad didn't think very highly of. But there was little clue to just how frolicsome the action would beshe has no one else, nor what ungainly band of friends (and enemies) would combine so off she goes to live with them her unreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for thisRoo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in the final episode.middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444005286</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Peter Jay BlackAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Blackout (Urban Outlaws)Oscar's Lion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fans of thrillers will be the first We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to admit that character development have his mother – or father, but mother is not always the first priority in their more likely – read him his very favourite booksbook a couple of times before he has to be ready for school. In fact, in some series heroes change less than ''The Simpsons' But when he enters his parents'bedroom, even after dozens of adventures. Soall he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, finding a story which has heart-pounding dramalooking sheepish, well-drawn characters and even admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. But there are benefits to having a lion around believe it or not – a few scenes which would melt can be shown as an unspoken threat to the hardest heart makes this excellent series bully that ruined a must-read.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1619635925</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Tom Palmer|title=Rugby Academy: Surface to Air|rating=5|genre=Dyslexia Friendly|summary=We first met Rory in [[Rugby Academy: Combat Zone by Tom Palmer|Combat Zone]] when circumstances forced him to go to Broadlands Boarding School when both his parents were posted abroad by birthday party for Oscar the RAFother month. It wasn't his choice - I mean they played ''rugby'' rather than his beloved football - but And it wasn't long before he discovered that not only did he enjoy rugbycan shapeshift, so he was rather good at can take it. It was also something of a relief to be at a school where there were other boys in and it can get him out of a similar situation to himselfproblem. By And it's wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the time that we meet Rory again time has moved rules, and so on and he. OK, it can's on his way to Toulon to play in an international schools rugby tournamentt work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781123985</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Irfan VirkJudith Eagle|title=My Mate's as 'Ard as Nails: (My Obdurate Companion)The Stolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''It was one of those days when you feel that somethingCaro's going mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to happen: something badreturn home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, something you know you won't be able Ronnie, is having to avoid. Freddy felt it as soon as he woke go upNorth to take care of her sister who is unwell...'' And yet So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, Freddy's first day at secondary school begins pretty wellshe feels frustrated and confused and worried. Bertie attracts attention but most All her summer holiday plans of it is good. And then things begin building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to go downhill. Bertie does stick out like a sore thumb. Ithalt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's difficult to ignore himhouse, along with an orphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. And Freddy But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, as she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's quick wit old suitcase, and sharp tongue might get him out of immediate trouble but they do mark him out as all across London a threat to fearsome gang called the bulliesSnakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. It was always going Is the painting somehow linked to happen. the gang? And before you can say snap, Bertie what has been abducted. Ithappened to Caro's up to Freddy and friends to get him back. Meanwhile, outside the school gates, some bad men are doing bad things mother? Is she somehow involved in the realms of hostage-takings and bank jobs.mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>099273181X</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy HopkinsTania Unsworth|title=A Home for ShimmerNowhere Island|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Great cover-art Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is often so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a compelling factor home for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it ride him to his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in making a purchase decision, so who could resist camp on an island between the lure two directions of a fluffy white retriever pupmotorway, with a shiny black nose place inaccessible and smiling eyesdefinitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. Them, beckoning readers to pick up the book and read her story? 'A Home for Shimmer' is the story of a bond between mute girl also finding a girl and her pup and the many obstacles that they must face to stay togetherhome 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>1471117936</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Steven Butler and Steve May (illustrator)Helen Peters|title=The Diary of Dennis the Menace: Bash Street Bandit (Book 4)Friends and Traitors|rating=4.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Something is wrong in BeanotownEngland, WW2. You'd normally think that Two young girls are new at the only thing wrong about the place is Dennis the Menace – his dastardly deeds and novel naughtinesscountry pile called Stanbrook. But no – this time One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it's worseseems, like the female generations before her. Someone The other is being Sidney, a menace to everyone girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, and it isnif we hadn't even Dennisguessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. The Colonel's garden gnomes are all bottom-upBut something is amiss, and even first separately and then in combination they realise the park plants spell out ''Bum-Face'Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. And our hero Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and not only that, a local Spitfire factory has no idea who is out-menacing himbeen attacked. It's up to him But surely the girls are wrong, and his naughty Gnasher to try and work out what is causing everyone – Softie or not – to the upper class could never be so worried.underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141355824</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mike RevellJamie Littler|title=StonebirdArkspire|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=People keep telling Liam he's Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the man of the house since his dad walked out Badlands. Elodie is intent on the family and went getting closer to live with his girlfriend power in Australiaone of the religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even though that's quite a burden to put on become the child in line to inherit the shoulders power of a ten-year-old. He tries his hardest to live up to everyone's expectationsthe Watcher, but it's not easy: the family has closest to move house and school to be nearer Gran, who's suffering from dementia; his mum is falling apart because she simply can't cope with a ruler the pain of losing her remaining parent in this waydistrict has, and his older sister is more interested one of the five major victors in her new boyfriend than anything Liam's going throughsaid earlier war. And Being trained in the magic that's before only five people can use would definitely change the status of the usual new kid whole family. But in school bullying begins.finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her own – for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848667175</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Ruth Fitzgerald024162343X|title=Emily Sparkes and the Friendship FiascoStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=When it comes to books for I was the younger age range, bad company other people got into at school. I tend to be more interested was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the adventure storiesexistence of a 'god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Not too long after the fantasiesend of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the British army's successes (and the mysteries than the more realistic contemporary books. Occasionally, thoughoccasional failures, something in that genre comes along which completely captivates me - and Ruth Fitzgeraldbut we didn's debut is one of t dwell on those books. I picked it up ) in what came to take a quick look after it was recommended to me as being a perfect be called 'mood-busterthe colonies'as want to dispute what right the army had to be there in the first place. Looking back, and within 5 pages I still believe I was enchanted. (right - but I regret that I was also attracting some strange looks on lacked the Tube, having burst out laughing loudly three times by maturity to approach 'the end of the fifth page - there are definite queries as to how suitable this is as a public transport read!)|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0349001820</amazonuk>problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robin StevensThiago de Moraes|title=Arsenic For Tea (A Wells and Wong Mystery)Old Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Some detectives have a dark Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and sorrowful past. Others are gifted – or burdened – adventures involving flooding the school aircon with extraordinary skillsfart powder, and she could almost be thought a few are so intellectual they can barely relate to young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the people around themworld changes. But Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, heroines even of this delightful detective serieselectric cars, are hits not just ordinary schoolgirls who enjoy solving puzzles the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and mysteries and who somehow end up right at all that powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the centre power of power from us. And so she begins her epic quest, to gather 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 so on known as the occasional deadly dramatricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0552570737</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean UreHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Secrets and DreamsFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When Mum [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and Dad won the lottery thirteen year old Zoe and eleven year old Natalie were given the chance to choose something ''big'' which they really wantedfinding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. Natalie chose to have a pony (Back home, things on the domestic and there was family front are a puppy toobit advanced, but no one not perfect for her, and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was counting) last left on. For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and Zoe decided that she really wanted to go to boarding schoolwounded. Dad - particularly - wasn't keen on the idea, in case Zoe would have Desperate to mix with make sure he''posh'' peoples OK, but eventually he came round she and Zoe started at St Withburga's - her father return to the Arctic and just chance you're thinking hope that in a world of jokes about cheeseburgasvery white and very dangerous things, Nat got there before youshe can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007553951</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Patrick Modiano, Sempe (illustrator) and William Rodarmor (translator)Simon Fox|title=Catherine CertitudeDeadlock|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=What little I know of Patrick Modiano was gained Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the number of 'noforce, and then suddenly rings Archie, we've never heard of himdemanding he fetch something from a secret place, either' articles and summaries that came our way when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature at join him on the end of 2014run. They suggested his oeuvre was matureget together, slightly thriller-based but not exclusively so, and asked lots barely begin to smell the whiff of accumulative questions regarding identity with regard to Southern trains when the Vichy government during WWII. Identity father is a lot more fixed in this musing little piecearrested, for leaving Archie on the adult voice-over looks back over late express to Brighton, toting a wide removetin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and says there will always be the bearer of a little bit whole heap of her living the events and situations of the bookquestions. Those situations are of a young dance-school attendee, and her loving and much-loved father, living a cosy life in Paris – even if the girl never once really works out what it is her father does for a living…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783443022</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Allan BoroughsCath Howe|title=Bloodstone: Legend of IronheartMy Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=After a year travelling the globe as apprentice to Verity Brown, India Bentley falls into trouble when sheRen's accused of trying to assassinate family home is destroyed in a priestfire. She, her parents, and her little brother lose everything. She doesn's rescued by Professor Moont have any of her clothes, who needs or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and Verity to help him find now she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the mysterious Bloodstonefoods they normally eat. As When she goes back to school she discovers that the trioclass are doing a special art project, plus creating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and show who they are as a person. But Ren has nothing to put in a few companionsbox, journey and so she finds herself starting to Atlantissteal things. Small things, things that people might not really miss, India not when they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is plunged into an adventure even more dangerous and exciting than her first one was.doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447236009</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=John Dougherty and David Tazzyman (illustrator)Rob Keeley|title=Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face The Boy Who Disappeared and the Evilness of PizzaOther Stories|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There are a few important things to know about the Island Kingdom of Great Kerfuffle. One Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is that it is pestered by back with a criminal gang of badgers, who find it impossible to just sit around in prison, but always have to escape and cause danger and nastiness return to other people, even if they are on the whole incredibly stupid. You also need short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to knoweleven new tales, however, that brother and sister Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face are great at solving the problems the badgers cause, and getting through the adventures in a very self-knowing way, even discussing the lengths of the chapters and the style of story each as they go about their business. Here the problem is revealed quite late on, so in an effort not fun to spoil the plot I'll just point out that in a book this stupidly, deliriously daft you hardly need bother about the plot in the first place, and can just relax and have the sheer joy of entertainment for an hour or soread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192738259</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The New Enemy: Liam Scott Book 3Laura Noakes|authortitle=Andy McNabCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
|rating=4
|genre=Teens
|summary=Liam Scott has joined Recce Platoon. The recruitment process was more gruelling than Liam had even imagined. But if you're going to be an in-theatre intelligence gatherer for the British Army, then you need to be ready for anything. And despite his training, Liam is new to this game. He still has a lot to learn and he's going to have to do it the hard way - in Kenya, where the border with Somalia is subject to incursions from the al-Shabaab militant group.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857533428</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|title=There Will Be Lies
|author=Nick Lake
|rating=5
|genre=Teens
|summary=Shelby is seventeen. She dreams of going to college but her mother would never allow it. Shaylene is more than over-protective. She homeschools Shelby and rarely lets her daughter out on her own. She is obsessed with the danger that men present. Shelby loves her mother but can't help the odd twinge of resentment at the level of control she exerts and more than the odd twinge of embarrassment when she looks at they overweight, unfit, pyjama jeans-wearing Shaylene.
 
And then Shelby is knocked down by a car. And everything unravels. Shaylene turns up at the hospital with bags packed. She's running from something, but what is it? And why can't she see the coyote that is watching Shelby, talking to her, warning her of lies and asking her to save a Child from a Crone?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1619634406</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreview
|author=Julie Berry
|title=The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the seven schoolgirls at St Etheldreda's School home she lives in is for Young Ladies the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in Victorian Ely see their headmistress the ledger, and her brother drop dead at dinner, they're more concerned all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about their future than where she came from, as the loss of first ever inmate, and unique in having no known family in the two adultsoutside world. Knowing that if anyone discovers what's happened they'll be sent home During a daring escapade to families who don't want themsteal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, they launch she discovers a daring plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to cover up want to adopt all the sad news, and run the school themselvesgirls for his Institute. When the deaths turn out to be caused by poison But why, though, they're left not just trying to run a school and convince an alarming number of visitors what does that nothing's wrong - but also body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to solve the murders before there's another killing.past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848124376</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gene KempAlice M Ross|title=The Turbulent Term of Tyke TilerNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Tyke Tiler. I first did so a very long time ago – I might even have my copy of the original paperback, with its ending-spoiling cover artwork, as one of the few books I carried over from those days. Tyke At last there is a schoolchild new stock in the last year before big school, impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and is permanently her mother run in trouble, partly due to hanging round with Danny Pricea seaside town. It seems wherever Danny unfortunately leads, Tyke follows – whether Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it's digging sheep bones . She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out , because she has the town weir systemability to leave this world, or handling stolen goods when Danny nicks a high-value note from one and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the teacher's pursesbuildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. How With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the shop? Well yes, is the term going to endanswer, when everything Danny does seems to reflect badly on Tyke?but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571313914</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Betty G BirneyNatasha Farrant|title=Imagination According to HumphreyThe Rescue of Ravenwood|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=If you havenThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of 't already'Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, meet Humphrey – in the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most squeakily vocal inhabitant of Classroom 26their lives. The charming They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and inventive hamster Raffy is here there with yet another of his main novels – as opposed to early readersmum, quiz and joke books, anthologies, [[Humphrey's World of Pets by Betty G Birney|guides to having pets]] – there they are so many around that my edition didn't try to put them all on one inventory page, but chose to leave living together as a few outfamily. Here They have grown up swimming in the cove, roaming through the series continues trees, completely at one with Humphrey and all of the same children as he's befriended over nature around the last few volumes, house and it's storytimeloving every inch of the place. The class But now the house is under threat, as Leo is being read a novel about a boy and under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the dragons doing evil property to his villagea developer as it's weather, becoming more and everyone is trying more expensive to write creatively about flying as a responsemaintain. But when someone threatens to bring a real-life dragon The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to classlive, how could the little class pet but if they'll even be safetogether, especially when he hasn't the imagination to see what the result could and if Ravenwood itself will be?torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571282512</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Stephen PastisRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Timmy FailureSecret Beast Club: Mistakes Were MadeThe Unicorns of Silver Street|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Timmy Failure Jayden's nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the CEO phoenixes and unicorns of Total Failurethe world, the best detective agency in townfor example. This book Aisha is nothing short addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of a historical record anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the outside world of his life as an investigatorHackney, helped (or perhaps hindered) by his polar bear partner Total and gradeLondon. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-obsessed friend Rollominded, educational purpose, and always wary with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of his rival Corrina Corrinalocal footage. Can Timmy come out ahead The 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. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of his evil nemesisthe unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406339814</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Rick RiordanB09XWSXSKY|title=Percy Jackson Maestro Orpheus and the Lightning Thief World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Percy Jackson always thought he was a normalFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. A tune, if rather naughty, kidlike the ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his mind. Then It happened every time he vaporised came to visit his maths teacher grandfather. He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's ten now and ended up in Camp Half-Blood, a special place all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the time. And time isn't good for children of anything...'' And that was why he was looking at the clock beside the Greek Godsbed. With Zeus, king of It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the Gods, convinced Percy has stolen his magical lightning bolt, war could be about clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it but to break out go and find grandad - can Percy find but where was he? And why had all the lightning thief and save the dayclocks stopped at twelve o'clock?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141346809</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Francesca SimonNigel Baines|title=Horrid Henry's A Tricky TricksKind of Magic|rating=34.5|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=Horrid Henry is up Cooper loves to his usual antics in this latest compilation of trickiest perform magic tricks ever. The book features ten stories His father was a magician, which include some outrageous pranks, like Henry trying to wake and named Cooper after the deadgreat Tommy Cooper. But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, win a pet talent contest and spend a hair-raising weekend with his awful cousinnow Cooper doesn't quite know who to be, Stuck-up Steveor how to be. But none of this compares to And when his scariest challenge ever; braving a girlsdad' sleepover at his neighbours prop rabbit starts talking to him, Moody Margarethe ''really'' doesn't know what's house.going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444012088</amazonuk>1444960261
}}
 
Move on to [[Newest Cookery Reviews]]