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[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Eve Furnari and Alison Entrekin (translator)Max Boucherat|title=Fuzz McFlops|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Meet Fuzz McFlops. He's the most famous, reclusive rabbit author there is – reclusive due to one ear being much shorter than the other. He's been miserable for that reason so long, it takes one of his fans to point out how much brighter his poems and stories could be with an injection The Last Life of warmth and fun. But just as some people are 'happy being sad', so Fuzz's life and temperament will be forced to change with the arrival of heart, humour and love. But first he would have to welcome that arrival…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782690751</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Berlie Doherty|title=Far From HomeLori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Lizzie and Emily Jarvis can We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to herself – no longer be neighbour to pop in the care of their , babysitter poorly, mother as she has become severely illat work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. She leaves them What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in the care of her best friend, a cookblanket fort, but when things go wrongshe has one main intention, the girls are sent and that is to log on to Voxminer, the Victorian mills where they are worked each day till they are beyond exhausted and the only thing world-building, critter-collecting game that keeps them going is counting down 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 days till they are server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to leaveenter 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?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007578822</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sally NichollsKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=An Island of Our OwnDungeon Runners: Hero Trial|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet HollyKit. She livesLike most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a team of warrior, with her older brother mage andhealer enter specially prepared, ercentury-old, shall we say demanding younger brothermagical mazes, in a flat above a London chippyand race to the exit, perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. ThatUnfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's right – no parents aroundseen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, as all three are orphans. Older brother Jonathan sacrificed uni to be their legal guardianeaten, so is ostensibly their carer as well as sibling, which means that welfare and what he earns being a grease monkey in a corner café new trio of questors is all they live onneeded. TimesPossibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, therefore, are hardhe has taken to the goading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. But twelve year old Holly What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have a straw to clutch on to – their eccentric aunt may have bequeathed them her antique jewellery collection. But what is going to make that a search for one exact straw in a haystack is actually managing that nobody knows where it may be…, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407124331</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lincoln PeirceJames Sherwood Metts|title=Big Nate: Laugh-O-Rama (Big Nate Activity Book 4)Planet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=This seems to be Things have been a firmly established publishing practise now – bit sticky for the enhanced readership experience offered Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to fans think of a franchise by a tie-in activity book. This is yet another example – looking like a genuine entry in an on-going seriesother, it instead offers the fan of the characters the chance to interact with them in new waysto spend time, as well as looking back through the shelves of their collection, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and inwardly as well, at their own thoughts and tastes. Note I say along with it's for a fan – this example will alienate anyone else from , all the first page – but for the right audience it’s generally a good thing. And in this instance it's a very, very good thing indeedmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007569076</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ronald WelchTom Percival|title=The GauntletWrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Will''The Gauntlet'' was one of the iconic books s life is difficult, in a multitude of my childhoodways. Why iconic? It He is bullied because he has 's an over-used word. Why not say 'most memorablethe wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can'outstandingt work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, 'most magical and excitinghis dad can't work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in- or simply hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will'best'? Any s life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of those would do but I think I'll allow myself iconichope. The gauntlet He is good at art, and clings to the moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the title justifies that wordend of a long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192738593</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lance Rubin1805141872|title=Denton Little's DeathdateThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=''Tomorrow is Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the day I'm going to die. I don't mean to get all dramatic about it. I've known that tomorrow truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Ben go on the day I will die since I was bornrun.But Al needs them for one last job. Just like almost everyone else in the world knows their deathdate. But do I need to get movie-preview-voice-over-guy intense about it? Probably not.''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris Priestley and Vladimir Stankovic Christopher Edge|title=The Wickford Doom|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Following Harry’s father’s death in the war, he and his mother learn that they’ve inherited a bequest from a relative. When they arrive to claim it, though, they find that they’ve been the victims of a dying man’s last cruel prank. But there are local tales of missing children and a strange painting called the Doom, and Harry quickly learns that there may be something far more evil than a nasty joke to worry about. Can he fight back against it?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781124094</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jeanne Willis|title=Supercat vs the Pesky Pirate (Supercat, Book 3)Black Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We Lucas and his friends are all know booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the storynickname of 'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of exciting films, you’re a cat and you wake up one daymany, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, lick a toxic sock and end they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But as a crime fighting catthey lurch from one film genre to the next, rightcan they figure out what on earth is going on? Well SuperCat is Will they ever get back in this rip roaring (or should that be meowingto the cinema, and to their real lives?) adventure, SuperCat vs The Pesky Pirate.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007518676</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lauren St JohnAdam Stower|title=The GloryMurray and Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=TeensConfident Readers |summary=Alex Murray is what you might call supposed to be a disruptive teenager. She's always getting into trouble but the latest trouble humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is the worst yet able to sleep and eat and eat and her mum sleep and step-dad have had enough, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. Even her father But he's a bad magician's cat, far away in Australia with so his new familyfavourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, thinks something must be done. So Alex is sent all and the way catflap they both use can chuck them out to , not into the States to regular back garden, but into a teenage boot campworld of frightening adventure and whiffs. But even naughty teenagers have their plus points This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, and Alexbut he's is her love of horses. Sheturned up and he'll do anything have to save the mustang scout from the slaughterhouse.do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444012754</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dan GemeinhartAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=The Honest TruthGlorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Mark has been battling cancer for more than half Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his lifegran owns and runs. For Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the last seven family. A few short years he has missed schoolago, been through treatmentsEli's parents were both lost to the titular race, and come close a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to death time and againnavigate the world in the company of a magical beast. With This has made the race anathema to the call that once again pair – but when a bad incident at the cancer is backeatery leads to a confession from gran, he just can't face going through it again and so he takes Eli knows his dog Beau and they run away only hope is to dare to go and climb a mountainenter what he most hates, with the intention that he will never returnsole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1910002135</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tim BowlerHelen Cooper|title=Game ChangerThe Taming of the Cat|rating=43.5|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=Mikey is afraid of open spacesOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. He would much rather hide in his room - in his wardrobe In this case, principally, actually - than face we have Brie the world outside. But his familymouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in particular his sister Meggiecase you're seeing a connection, are very supportivethey live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. And with Meggie's help Anyway, Mikey Brie is gradually beginning to face that world outside. But then something goes horriblyshunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, horribly wrong. Mikey sees something he shouldnfor the way his habits don't have seenmatch the other mice he lives with. And They nibble up paper wrapping from the gang knows what cheese for bedding – he sawdisplays it as art and makes stories based on the visuals on it. The gang knows where And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he livesfeels all alone and cast out. And the gang wants It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to talk tell stories to him.keep themselves alive. This makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, though, 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>0192794159</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lewis Carroll and Anthony BrowneLauren St John|title=Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition)Finding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We here at Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the Bookbag aren't always middle of the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to buy a Reithianlottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, canon-following bent; we donwho she knows her dad didn't necessarily feel the need to urge classic texts down our readers' throatsthink very highly of. But in this instance it is worthwhile. Not since this book first appeared 150 years ago she has something so surrealno one else, so oddball and so peculiarly plotted captured the imagination anything quite as this didoff she goes to live with her unreliable aunt. It's a classic thatThings continue to get worse for Roo, if you haven't before, you can polish off as when she and Joni leave London in definitely under two hours. ItJoni's something then that on this occasion I suggest you should doold campervan, if only to find out what complete rubbish it is.breaks down in the middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406361577</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Abi ElphinstoneAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=The DreamsnatcherOscar's Lion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Twelve year old Moll wakes in the night We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to find herself deep in the dark forest. The nightmare that haunts her sleep have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has brought her to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a place of dangermahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, summoned and admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. But there by are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the evil Skull and his wicked sorceryother month. Moll And it can shapeshift, so he can take it to school and her fiercely protective wildcat, Gryff, must fight back against the dark magic before it is too latecan get him out of a problem. At first she does And it's wonderful to have around the house – not understand why she has been chosen for the task but as her chilling adventure continues Moll learns limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about her past the rules, and the part so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it will play in saving those she loves from Skull and the horror he threatenscan give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471122689</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Charlie FletcherJudith Eagle|title=Dragon Shield: 02: The London PrideStolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Caro''Your city s mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is lostnow missing. Your city Her other mother, Ronnie, is not yourshaving to go up North to take care of her sister who is unwell. Your city So who is mine.'' That's what Bast says. The Ancient Egyptian goddess, freed from thousands of years imprisonmentgoing to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has unleashed heard her magic. Time has stoppedmother despises, she feels frustrated and confused and worried. All the humans her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are frozen in suspended animation. All the humans exceptbrought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, that isalong with an orphan boy, brother and sister Will and JoAlbie, who are protected by the scarab bracelets they wearis living there too. And now But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, Bast has even succeeded in freezing some as she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and all across London a fearsome gang called the Spits (good statues) Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has sent the bad statues (Taints) happened to find Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the two children who are threatening her plans.mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444917358</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jane ElsonTania Unsworth|title=How to Fly with Broken WingsNowhere Island|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Willem doesn't usually find homework challengingMeet Gil. He's good at schoolwork. But Mrs Hubert has given him an assignment Just twelve, he's going is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find difficulta home for himself. He must make two friends of is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it ride him to his own agefuture. That's tricky future seems to be in jeopardy when you're someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the autistic spectrum two directions of a motorway, a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and you don't communicate wellseclusion. It's even Them, and a mute girl also finding a home there, albeit so much more difficult when almost all your classmates join in with Finn when he bullies you and makes you jump from increasingly high placessuccessfully. Sasha Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or if this is torn. She loves Finn to pieces but she can't bear bullying and she hates herself for one place where life as we would want it just would not standing up for Willem. And Finn has a secret of his own that's driving his rotten behaviour.work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444916769</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom Helen Peters|title=Viking LongshipFriends and Traitors|rating=3.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=''Fly on England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the Wall'' country pile called Stanbrook. One is a new series of history books by award-winning duo Manning and GranströmNancy, which aim to bring history destined to be in service all her life for young readersit seems, like the female generations before her. ''Viking Longship'' The other is the story of GrimmSidney, a Viking warrior who buys girl from a broken ship called the Sea Dragon hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, and fixes if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it up to set sail in search of pastures newso. The story follows Grimm's progress as he invades England with his band of warriors But something is amiss, and first separately and then creates in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a farm settlement where his family can live in peacerum 'un. The book touches on various aspects Midnight deliveries are received under cover of Viking life before coming full circle when the settlement secrecy, talk is raided by Saxonsmade of meetings with Germans, and not only that, culminating in a Viking funeral local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, and a final image of the longboat in flames.upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806244</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alice HoffmanJamie Littler|title=NightbirdArkspire|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=TTwig's mother Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is the most beautiful woman in Sidwell. She bakes famous Pink Apple pies. Makes delicious lavender honey butter. Has an exotic eager hunter and mysterious past. And Twig loves her with everything she's gottrader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. But not all Elodie is well intent on getting closer to power in Twig's world. Friends aren't allowed. Because one of the religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of the Watcher, the closest to a friend might discover ruler the secret kept so carefully by Twig district has, and her motherone of the five major victors in said earlier war. There is a centuries-old curse on their Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the whole family. So Twig is a lonely girl... But in 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>1471124215</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom 024162343X|title=Roman FortStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=45
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'god'Fly on . Where was the Wall'' is a new series of proof? In history books by award-winning duo Manning and Granströmlessons, which aim to bring history to life for young readersit was probably worse still. Not too long after the end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the British army'Roman Forts successes (and occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called ' follows the adventures of Centurion Vespian colonies' as he escorts want to dispute what right the lady Lepidina and her son army had to be there in the safety of first place. Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the Roman fort maturity to celebrate her best friendapproach 'the problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's birthday. Along the way, the story touches on various aspects of Roman life, including clothing, family life, buildings and religion''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847806252</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Garth JenningsThiago de Moraes|title=The Deadly SevenOld Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Most Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of us do our best to live our lives as politenuisance. But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, sensiblepractically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, clean human beings. After alleven of electric cars, society would soon fall hits not just the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart if we grabbed whatever we wantedfrom mobile phones, always said and all that powers the first thing that came into Internet, just for our headsconvenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, and punched anyone who annoyed realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. But admit it - deep down And so she begins her epic quest, there are moments when you'd just love to bop some irritating twit on gather all the nose, shred your report card and use people that can steal it as hamster litterback – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, eat a whole box of chocolates in one goie the semi-deities, then burp every single verse of The Twelve Days of Christmasgiants, right? Seriously half- never? Hmm . . . not sure you're being entirely honest there, palgods and so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447251717</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Danny WallaceHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Hamish and the WorldstoppersFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Something strange is happening to Hamish[[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], or happening around himApril had been on Bear Island, or actuallya lot further north than many people would venture, if we're being specificand finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, things on the domestic and family front are ''a bit advanced, but not'' happening! He is finding that suddenlyperfect for her, in and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the middle of islands Bear was last left on. For a perfectly normal day, everything stops except himbear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. So the people around him are frozenDesperate to make sure he's OK, she and her father return to the birds are stuck mid wing-flap, planes hang un-moving Arctic and hope that in the skya world of very white and very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and Hamish is dangerous thing – and that the only one who friendship can still move around! What is causing these strange pauses, and is there anything Hamish can do about it?continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147112388X</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Malorie BlackmanSimon Fox|title=Robot Girl|rating=5|genre=Dyslexia Friendly|summary=Claire is excited and she's ''nagging'' her mother to tell her what her father has been doing in his laboratory, but her mother is no wiser than she is and tells Claire that she will simply have to wait until her father is ready to show her what he's been doing. He's a famous inventor and Claire knows that whatever it is will be exciting. For now all she can do is to tell her pen friend - and be patient.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781124590</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Emma Barnes|title=Wild Thing Goes Camping|rating=4|genre=Emerging Readers|summary=Wild Thing is truly wild, keeping worms in her grandma's handbag, building dens in muddy holes in the garden, or setting up camps, complete with sticks ready for a fire, in her big sister's bedroom! She's the sort of child who sends her parents grey in their twenties! Poor Kate, her older sister, is stuck being the sensible one in the family, trying to keep an eye on Wild Thing and help her dad out (her mum died when Wild Thing was very little), and the strain of always being sensible and reliable begins to show and Kate starts to think maybe she'd like to be wild too!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407137972</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Jacqueline Wilson|title=The Butterfly Club|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Tina is a triplet but you'd never know it. Sisters Maddie and Phil are much bigger, much livelier and much louder than sickly little Tina, who had a heart problem when she was born and spent months in an incubator. She's never caught them up. Her health is still delicate too, so Tina doesn't play rough games and is forbidden from most sport at school. At this rate, she'll never catch up with Phil and Maddie. But Tina doesn't mind too much. She's protected at school by her sisters and coddled at home by her mother. Life, despite its smallness, is pretty sweet for Tina...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857533177</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Marcus Sedgwick and Pete Williamson (illustrator)|title=Creepy Caves (Elf Girl and Raven Boy)Deadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We've come a long way together, Elf GirlLate one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, Raven Boy and I. I wasn't there quite at the start of their adventuresthen suddenly rings Archie, but jumped on at [[Monster Mountains: Raven Boy and Elf Girl 2 by Marcus Sedgwick|demanding he fetch something from a suitably early stagesecret place,]] and met up with them a bit here and there sincejoin him on the run. It was obvious from They get together, but barely begin to smell the start, whiff of Southern trains when all six alliterative titles were announcedthe father is arrested, that leaving Archie on the final battle would be the pair – and late express to Brighton, toting a tin his rat called Rat – battling the Goblin King. But there father was little clue determined to just how frolicsome the action would bekeep away from his colleagues, nor what ungainly band of friends (and enemies) would combine with them for this, the final episodebearer of a whole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444005286</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Peter Jay BlackCath Howe|title=Blackout (Urban Outlaws)My Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fans of thrillers will be the first to admit that character development Ren's family home is not always the first priority destroyed in their favourite booksa fire. In fact She, her parents, in some series heroes change less than ''The Simpsons'and her little brother lose everything. She doesn't have any of her clothes, even after dozens or any of adventures. So, finding a story which has hearther special little knick-pounding dramaknacks from her cupboard, well-drawn characters and now she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even – believe it or not – a few scenes which would melt eat the hardest heart makes this excellent series a must-readfoods they normally eat.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1619635925</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Tom Palmer|title=Rugby Academy: Surface When she goes back 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 school she discovers that the class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to go display things that are important to Broadlands Boarding School when both his parents were posted abroad by the RAF. It wasn't his choice - I mean them and show who they played ''rugby'' rather than his beloved football - but it wasn't long before he discovered that not only did he enjoy rugby, he was rather good at itare as a person. It was also something of a relief But Ren has nothing to be at a school where there were other boys put in a similar situation box, and so she finds herself starting to himselfsteal things. By the time Small things, things that we meet Rory again time has moved on and he's on his way people might not really miss, not when they have so much already. But what will happen to Toulon to play in an international schools rugby tournament.her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781123985</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Irfan VirkRob Keeley|title=My Mate's as 'Ard as Nails: (My Obdurate Companion)The Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''It was one of those days when you feel that something's going to happen: something bad, something you know you won't be able to avoid. Freddy felt it as soon as he woke up...'' And yet, Freddy's first day at secondary school begins pretty well. Bertie attracts attention but most of it Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is good. And then things begin to go downhill. Bertie does stick out like back with a sore thumb. It's difficult to ignore him. And Freddy's quick wit and sharp tongue might get him out of immediate trouble but they do mark him out as a threat return to the bullies. It was always going short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to happen. And before you can say snapeleven new tales, Bertie has been abducted. It's up each as fun to Freddy and friends to get him back. Meanwhile, outside the school gates, some bad men are doing bad things in the realms of hostage-takings and bank jobsread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>099273181X</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy HopkinsLaura Noakes|title=A Home for ShimmerCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Great cover-art Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the home she lives in is often a compelling factor for the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in making a purchase decision, so who could resist the lure of a fluffy white retriever pupledger, 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 shiny black nose and smiling eyessurname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, beckoning readers to pick up as the book first ever inmate, and read her story? 'A Home for Shimmer' is unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the story of kitchen one afternoon, she discovers a bond between plan involving said outside world – a girl and her pup devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. But why, and the many obstacles what does that they must face body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to stay together.the past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471117936</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Steven Butler and Steve May (illustrator)Alice M Ross|title=The Diary of Dennis the Menace: Bash Street Bandit (Book 4)Nowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Something At last there is wrong new stock in Beanotown. You'd normally think that the only thing wrong about the place is Dennis the Menace – his dastardly deeds impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and novel naughtinessher mother run in a seaside town. But no – Elsbeth knows this time because she has stolen it's worse. Someone is She also knows she should be free from worries about being a menace found out, because she has the ability to everyone leave this world, and it isn't even Dennis. The Colonel's garden gnomes use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the sea levels are all bottom-up, rising dramatically and even the park plants spell out ''Bum-Face''buildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. And our hero has no idea who is out-menacing him. With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the shop? It's up to him and his naughty Gnasher to try and work out what Well yes, is causing everyone – Softie or not – to be so worried.the answer, but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141355824</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Mike RevellNatasha Farrant|title=StonebirdThe Rescue of Ravenwood|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=People keep telling Liam heThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of 's the man 'Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house since his dad walked out on , in the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and went to live Raffy is there with his girlfriend mum, and they are living together as a family. They have grown up swimming in Australiathe cove, roaming through the trees, even though that's quite a burden to put on completely at one with all of the nature around the shoulders house and loving every inch of a ten-year-oldthe place. He tries But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his hardest other two brothers to live up sell the property to everyone's expectations, but a developer as it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not easy: the family has only about where they're going to move house and school to be nearer Granlive, whobut if they's suffering from dementia; his mum is falling apart because she simply can't cope with the pain of losing her remaining parent in this wayll even be together, and his older sister is more interested in her new boyfriend than anything Liam's going through. And that's before the usual new kid in school bullying beginsif Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848667175</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ruth FitzgeraldRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Emily Sparkes and the Friendship FiascoSecret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When it comes to books for the younger age range, I tend to be more interested Jayden's nose is forever in the adventure storiesa book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the fantasies, phoenixes and unicorns of the mysteries than the more realistic contemporary booksworld, for example. Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. Occasionally The problem, thoughas their mothers see it, something in is that genre comes along which completely captivates me - and Ruth Fitzgeraldthey are never 'out there's debut is one themselves, exploring the outside world of those booksHackney, London. I picked it But when a narrowboat turns up to take carrying a quick look after it was recommended to me as being science-minded, educational purpose, and with a perfect 'mood-busterpast involving Jayden's cousin, and within 5 pages I was enchantedthey find a magical world they never knew existed. (I was also attracting some strange looks For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. The crew of the Tubeboat, having burst out laughing loudly three times by including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the end of kids unknowingly have the fifth page - there are definite queries as magical sight needed to how suitable this is join in. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a public transport read!)figure in a painting, and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0349001820</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Robin StevensB09XWSXSKY|title=Arsenic For Tea (A Wells Maestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Wong Mystery)Joanne Grodzinski|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Some detectives have Frederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the ticking of a dark clock was playing over and sorrowful pastover in his mind. Others are gifted – or burdened – with extraordinary skills It happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's ten now and a few are so intellectual all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore. ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they can barely relate to do is tell the people around themtime. And time isn't good for anything. But Hazel Wong and Daisy Wells, heroines of this delightful detective series, are just ordinary schoolgirls who enjoy solving puzzles and mysteries and who somehow end up right ..'' And that was why he was looking at the centre of clock beside the bed. It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the occasional deadly dramaclock chimed only six times.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0552570737</amazonuk> There was nothing for it but to go and find grandad - but where was he? And why had all the clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean UreNigel Baines|title=Secrets and DreamsA Tricky Kind of Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Emerging Readers|summary=When Mum and Dad won the lottery thirteen year old Zoe and eleven year old Natalie were given the chance Cooper loves to choose something ''big'' which they really wantedperform magic tricks. Natalie chose to have His father was a pony (magician, and there was a puppy toonamed Cooper after the great Tommy Cooper. But sadly Cooper's father died suddenly, but no one was counting) and Zoe decided that she really wanted now Cooper doesn't quite know who to go be, or how to boarding schoolbe. Dad - particularly - wasnAnd when his dad't keen on the ideas prop rabbit starts talking to him, in case Zoe would have to mix with he ''poshreally'' people, but eventually he came round and Zoe started at St Withburgadoesn't know what's - and just chance you're thinking of jokes about cheeseburgas, Nat got there before you.going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007553951</amazonuk>1444960261
}}
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