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Newest Confident Readers Reviews (view source)
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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joanne Dahme 1836285493|title=Tombstone TeaThe Double Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Rob Keeley|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Having recently moved to Will is a new schoolkeen player of video games, in a new townconscientious student, Jessie is struggling to make friends a slightly annoying brother and fit ina supportive friend. She But most of all, he is afraid to show these new people who she really an aspiring writer. English is - in her old his favourite lesson at his school she often found she had 'blank' moments, when she could hear voices Marlowe Park, and 'see' people who werenone at which he excels. This hasn't really there. In desperation gone unnoticed by his headteacher, Mrs Howarth, and she has suggested to become part of Will and his mum that he spends a 'group' she accepts the dare couple of afternoons a group of girls to spend the night in the Cemetery and collect some gravestone rubbings to prove she was there. Once there she bumps into Paul, the handsome caretaker, and finds herself in the middle of week at a strange evening whendifferent school, Paul claimsStation Road, local actors get together to rehearse for something called the 'Tombstone Tea', a play in which they portray those buried in the graveyard...there's something strange though about these actors and Jessie soon finds herself caught up in a chilling dramawhere his ability might be better extended.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0762437189</amazonuk>
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|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ben's not too keen to be sharing his bedroom with his half-brother, Frank. But 'Would you don't have to be the hero of a detective adventure such as this book like to know that as Frank's mother has vanished from the face of the Earth, Ben will let it lie - for adopt a while. Nor is it too surprising to see the four Misfitz together, on another case, as they go on the hunt for the missing woman.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407109782</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Patrick Oghost?'Brien|title=You Are The First Kid On Mars|rating=4.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=It is a sci-fi future of no danger whatsoever, with no technological breakdown, and no fatal meteor strike, but that of course is only to be expected for this market. I say it more to highlight how well the book has been illustrated. Digital airbrush techniques and more have taken the antiseptic sheen off the whole experience, but have still allowed for a great detail in the machinery, and also a lovely warmth in the face of the lad we're empathising with.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0399246347</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rick YanceyRob Keeley|title=The MonstrumologistChildish Spirits: The Terror Beneath10th anniversary special edition
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In late 19th century AmericaAround here, young Will Henry has been the apprentice we're big fans of the sternchildren's author Rob Keeley. He's a ball of happy positivity, forbidding Dr Warthrop since the death of his parentshe understands children, who were also employed by the doctor. The twelve year old boy has seen many things in his service to the monstrumologist - a specialist in monsters - but nothing can prepare him and he writes for the fateful day when an elderly grave robber brings the doctor the twin corpses of a young girl their pleasure and the headless creature with fangs in his chest who had tried enjoyment, not to feast on herlecture or hector.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184738546X</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester ClarkMax Boucherat|title=The Best Last Life of TimesLori Mills
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Most children enjoy a good traditional tale and this lovely book by Michael Morpurgo seems We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to have all the right ingredients herself – a handsome prince and a beautiful princess who fall no neighbour to pop in love, get married and live happily ever afterbabysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. Or do they What could possibly go wrong? Sadly, not long after Prince Frederico marries the lovely Princess Serafina Snuggled in a blanket fort, she becomes very sad. Nobody knows what has caused such great sadnessone main intention, but poor Prince Frederico and that is desperate to find log on to Voxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a cure for his wifehit in Lori's miseryworld. He tries everything in his power But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and eventually decides to offer his kingdom to anyone who can make her happy again before then she dies of a broken heartfinds something even more spooky. Lots of people come to For the palace server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to try enter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and help but her safe place in the end the solution game has been doctored – well, where is a simple one provided by some very kind travellers.girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405232552</amazonuk>0008666482
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Simon WestonKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Nelson to the RescueDungeon Runners: Hero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Nelson used to pull Mike Meet Kit. Like most of the Milk's milk floatpeople in his world, it seems, but he has now retired. He lives in the stable at the back is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the dairy along with sport where a couple team of tricky ratswarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, Rhodri and Rhysrace to the exit, a pigeon who has no sense of directionperhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. Unfortunately for Kit, a frog who thinks the only thing he's a secret agent spy and an old racehorse who spends most seen of his time sleeping. Rhodri and Rhys find a mysterious message the latest race on Mike's fridge and the animals believe inn TV equivalent is that Mike one team has been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBEretired, eaten, and a new trio of questors is needed. Somehow our heroPossibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, Nelson, finds himself travelling down he has taken to London, pulling a ceremonial coach for Prince Charles as well the goading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as giving a TV interview about his experienceteam. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848510454</amazonuk>1839945184
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jon BerkeleyJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Lightning Key (Circus Trilogy)Planet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I shall start with Things have been a word of advicebit sticky for the Earthlings. When youAI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're being hounded by a circus master, paid to do and a magician, for the soul of a tiger other tasks that's contained in a tiger's egg that's contained in the brain took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of your teddy bearother, and your best friend - a fallen angel - is trying her best new ways to make sure the other angels do not turn on you in a big way - then you're probably living the third book in a fantasy trilogyspend time, along came an awful pandemic. Still - never mindLife was pretty much shut down and, the angel's efforts will involve you entering a dream world of flight and cloud citiesalong with it, all the chase after your enemies will take you across the world to desert oases and back, and friends new and old will be many daily social interactions on board to helpwhich they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847384447</amazonuk>1736128426
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Andy StantonTom Percival|title=What's For Dinner, Mr Gum?The Wrong Shoes|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=As soon as heroine Polly turns her backWill's life is difficult, in a multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can't work and leaves doesn't have enough money for even the town most basic of Lamonic Bibber for a day things like food, and his dad can't work because he lost his job at the seasidecollege, Mr Gum falls out with was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his best friendmum and dad are separated, causing carnivorous carnage all over the placeand Will's life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. Meat He is getting thrown around like it's going out of fashiongood at art, and we have clings to doubt whether Polly and her companions can ever utilise the power moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the end of love and put things to rights. Especially as this book does not contain a magic unicorn called Elizabethlong, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405248246</amazonuk>1398527122
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jean Ure1805141872|title=Fortune CookieThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Fudge Cassidy ''Seventeen banks and the Cupcake kid a jeweller’s have been raided. The police are best friends. If baffled, but only Ben knows the names remind you of a certain film then you'd be spot on as that's where Fudge's father got the idea from. They're actually chalk and cheese truth – Fudge his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is loud mouthed really a safecracker! With police and opinionated her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Cupcake is quiet and thoughtful – but Ben go on the combination worksrun. But Al needs them for one last job. They've just started at secondary school and Cupcake has rather a lot on her plate. Her brother Joey has muscular dystrophy and his problems are becoming more obvious. Add to this that her father couldn't cope with the problems and he now has another family. It's just Cupcake, Joey and her mother – and not a lot of money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007224621</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeremy StrongChristopher Edge|title=Christmas Chaos for the Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog Black Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Trevor's troublesome dog, StreakerLucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has had three puppiesthe nickname of 'The Black Hole'. They were fathered All big movie fans, according they're looking forward to local bully Charlie Smugglots of exciting films, and many, by one of his Alsatians. many snacks! Trevor would ideally like to keep themHowever, as the movie starts, at least until Christmasthey very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, but his parents have other ideas and put them they are swept up for saleinto an adventure they couldn't even imagine. Charlie Smugg declares that he's entitled But as they lurch from one film genre to half of the money from the sale of the puppiesnext, but before can they can be sold figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the three puppies go missing in the park cinema, and it's up to Trevor and his best friend Tina to try and track them down before Charlie demands his cash!their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141327243</amazonuk>1839942738
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Annie TaylorAdam Stower|title=VioletMurray and Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Violet Murray is supposed to be a very special hippo. She humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is extremely small but that does not make her adoptive parents Albert able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and Mavis love her any , well, whatever takes his fancy next of the lesstwo. However But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they are slightly worried that Violet has both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a very unusual habit world of turning pink without warning frightening adventure and for no explicable reasonwhiffs. 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, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1906847371</amazonuk>0008561249
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=A J Healy|title=Tommy Storm and the Galactic Knights|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Meet Tommy Storm. He's one of five teenagers snapped up from around the universe to be a gang of heroic detectives charged with rescuing EVERYTHING from destruction. Not just the planet, or the solar system, or even the galaxy, but EVERYTHING. Nobody seems to know what's going to cause this destruction, or when, but he Alex Bell and his friends and their ship seem to be the only people proactively going about saving the day. So it's a pity that they start this book strung up by a nasty loony who's about to kill them.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847247555</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jeanette WintersonTim McDonagh|title=The Battle Glorious Race of the Sun|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=London 1601. Elizabeth I is getting on in years. Her capital city is a busy, bustling place. Boats fill the river and people fill the streets. Jack is happy because it's his birthday and his present is his heart's desire: an excitable black puppy named Max, who's a ''licking and a running and a leaping and a jumping and a tummy in the air and a tail wagging and a barking, racing, braking, spinning energy dog of delight''. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>140880042X</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jean Ure|title=Love and KissesMagical Beasts|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Tamsin Eli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and Katie were just thirteen in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and worried that they were boringruns. They'd been best friends since forever and were Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the good girls. Neither missed school, skipped her homework nor had boyfriendsfamily. WellA few short years ago, that isEli's parents were both lost to the titular race, not so fara globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of a magical beast. Up until then Tamsin had been This has made the race anathema to the boffin head pair – consistently strong academically and looking forward but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to going on a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to university. All that seemed dare to change when she met Alex. Wellenter what he most hates, when I say 'met' I should perhaps clarify and say that Alex pushed with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his wheelbarrow into her, from the building site where he workedgran. Oh, and did I mention that he was seventeen, Polish and spoke very little English?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007281722</amazonuk>0571382231
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Neal LaytonHelen Cooper|title=Surf's Up (Mammoth Academy)The Taming of the Cat
|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Having successfully seen off Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the rather unpleasant humans in earlier volumesmouse, our favourite junior mammoths Oscar up against Gorgonzola the cat – and Arabella have nothing much else to do apart from return to Mammoth Academy for lots more double periods of Difficult Sums. Theyin case you're supposed seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be making presentations about what they did during the holidays toonames of cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, but Oscar hasn't done any preparation scorned and, franklyif you must, mous-tracised, he canfor the way his habits don't really remember what match the other mice he actually did do 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 story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. This 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 free time other than no Difficult Sums. cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>034098967X</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ursula Jones and Sarah GibbLauren St John|title=The Princess Who Had No KingdomFinding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The princess who Roo's life has no kingdom wanders around become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in a cart pulled the middle of the night by the police banging on her horse Prettydoor to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. She's very polite When asked what other family she has, friendlyshe can only name her aunt, and kind-heartedJoni, but who she feels like something is lacking because she doesnknows her dad didn't have a kingdom think very highly of her own. The other royals But she has no one else, and so off she meets treat goes to live with her nicely enoughunreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for Roo, but there's always a feeling that as when sheand Joni leave London in Joni's not quite as good as them because she isn't old campervan, it breaks down in the princess middle of anywhere.nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846160421</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tim Pigott-SmithAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Shadow of Evil (Baker Street Mysteries)Oscar's Lion|rating=43
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=If ever Victorian England needed the Baker Street IrregularsWe start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, it's now. The great Sherlock Holmes but mother is dead - drowned at sea whilst attempting to foil one more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of Professor Moriarty's evil plans. More ships are likely times before he has to be sabotaged and the shipping owners are up in armsready for school. To make matters worse But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, Queen Victoriaand admitting that he won's granddaughter has been kidnappedt be hungry for another two days. Would-be clients But there are queuing up at 221b Baker Street, but Dr Watson is benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to turn them awaythe bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the other month. And the more Sam Wiggins seesit can shapeshift, the more so hecan take it to school and it can get him out of a problem. And it's convinced that all wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the various shenanigans are related to one anotherrules, and so on. If only Holmes were there to tell him exactly how. But he isn OK, it can't, and the only people who are around are childrenwork a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>034096006X</amazonuk>0008596751
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jean Ure Judith Eagle|title=Star Crazy MeThe Stolen Songbird|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This book Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is about Carmennow missing. Her other mother, but Ronnie, is having to understand her you first need go up North to know about take care of her familysister who is unwell. There's her mother, So who is quite laid back when it comes going to look after Caro? Sent to all things schoolstay with Gam, but rather obsessed with looks (despite being the kind of person to drive everywheresomeone Caro has heard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and get winded walking up a flight confused and worried. All her summer holiday plans of stairs). There's building herself some equipment to practise her Nan, who used gymnastics are brought to live with them and always encouraged Carmena halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's talenthouse, perhaps to along with an embarrassing extentorphan boy, Albie, who is living there too. Still But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, itas she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's good old suitcase, and all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to have support. the gang? And therewhat has happened to Caro's her father, who we don't know much about. But then, neither does Carmen.mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007224613</amazonuk>0571363148
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|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Most little girls would love Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a pretty pink book all about princesseshome for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, wouldn't they? when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it ride him to his future. This That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one has seven retellings bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the two directions of traditional fairy tales accompanied by beautiful illustrations a motorway, a place inaccessible and would make definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. Them, and a mute girl also finding a lovely gift for home there, albeit so much more successfully. Over a birthday few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or Christmas.if this is one place where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140830516X</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kate DiCamillo Helen Peters|title=The Magician's ElephantFriends and Traitors|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Peter Augustus Duchene hovered outside the fortune-teller's tent in England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the market squarecountry pile called Stanbrook. To go One is Nancy, destined to be in and get an answer to the only question he had would cost service all her life it seems, like the money female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that he had – and he'd has been given it to go out removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and buy the cheapestcheese, poorest food and if we hadn't guessed that was availablethen their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But he had to have an answer to something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the question and when he asked he was told thatLord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, yestalk is made of meetings with Germans, his sister ''was'' alive and not only that the elephant would take him to her, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But where in this chillysurely the girls are wrong, northern clime would he find an elephantand the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406324477</amazonuk>1788004647
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris PriestleyJamie Littler|title=Tales of Terror from the Tunnel's MouthArkspire|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Young Robert is put on a train back to school by his stepmother. It's the first journey he's made on his own. It turns out to be more of a challenge than he could ever have imagined. The train stalls at the mouth of a tunnel and while the other passengers sleep through the wait, a mysterious woman in white tells him a series of stories - stories with a difference. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408800144</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Paul Fleischman and David Roberts|title=The Dunderheads|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The vile Miss Breakbone hates kids Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is forever shouting at her classan eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. When Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the teacher confiscates religious districts of Arkspire, perhaps even to become the one-eared cat that Theodore (better known as Junkyard) is giving child in line to his mum for her birthdayinherit the power of the Watcher, the Dunderheads hatch closest to a plan to get it backruler the district has, and teach Miss Breakbone a valuable lessonone of the five major victors in said earlier war. What follows is an elaborate plot, weaving elements Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the ''Bash Street Kids'' with ''Mission Impossible''whole family. 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>1406322555</amazonuk>0241586143
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Morris Gleitzman024162343X|title=Toad SurpriseStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Confident ReadersChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=I was going to mention, the bad company other people got into at some time school. I was disruptive in this review, that you would be hard pushed to confuse this book with religious education classes because I disputed the same authorexistence of a 's [[Once by Morris Gleitzman|Holocaust stories]]god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, but as it begins with an apocalyptic massacre in a hit and run road crash, perhaps you mightwas probably worse still. Such is Not too long after the lot end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the humble cane toad. Always having British army's successes (and occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to take the warty with be called 'the smooth. Or so youcolonies'd think, until Limpy identifies as want to dispute what right the next driver army had to pull up near their swamp as Santabe there in the first place. At last Looking back, I still believe I was right - his chance but I regret that I lacked the maturity to improve human-cane toad relationships, by getting his species recognised as Santaapproach 's new little helpers. And so he hops on the truck with his best friend, the macho Goliath, and drives off with Santaproblem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''...Or does he?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141326948</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Andrew Klavan Thiago de Moraes|title=The Last Thing I Remember (Homelander)Old Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Charlie West 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 nuisance. But just when she's being told that by her one- US Air Force hopeful and karate expert last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power- remembers when his main concern was whether schoolmate Beth would go out with him, even of electric 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). Trixie, luckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. So why is he strapped And so she begins her epic quest, to a chair gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in a windowless cell?stealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, giants, half-gods and so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0755352998</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Hazel Allan Hannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Bree McCready and the Half-heart LocketFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=If you want to keep your children quiet and busy for [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a while then this lot further north than many people would be a good book to give them. Twelve year old Bree and her two friendsventure, Sandy and Honey, find themselves running for their lives when finding a message on ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a heart locket necklace leads them to an old, magical book polar bear – that has enormous powersshe called Bear. A monstrous enemy, ThalofedrilBack home, is trying to get his claws things on this book so that he can continue to reek death and destruction in the world, domestic and it is up to Breefamily front are a bit advanced, and but not perfect for her friends, to save us all...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1905537115</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Helen Stringer |title=The Last Ghost: A Belladonna Johnson Adventure|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Belladonna Johnson can see and talk to ghosts and no one else so can. In fact she lives with two; her dead parents. But something is happening – easily be ignored when word comes through from the ghosts are disappearingislands Bear was last left on. Her mother vanishes For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and her father tells her wounded. Desperate to make sure he doesn't have much time either. The doors are closings OK, the doors she and her father return to the Other Side Arctic and there is only one left, but just as he says this, he is gone too. Not wanting to lose her parents again, Belladonna sets out on hope that in a journey with the help world of Stevevery white and very dangerous things, a boy from school. They need to she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the entrance to the Land of the Dead, the door to where the last ghost, Elsie, waits, before it's too late… friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0230715044</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kate ThompsonSimon Fox|title=The White Horse TrickDeadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We last saw Jenny before she made Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the move to Tir na n'Og force, and before she knew she was then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a changelingsecret place, and join him on the run. These days They get together, she's happily ensconced in but barely begin to smell the land whiff of Southern trains when the fairiesfather is arrested, where there is no time and nothing much happensleaving Archie on the late express to Brighton, but everyone feels toting a huge sense of lazy contentment. Her human foster parents JJ tin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and Aisling Liddy have also made the move and they are equally happy, in bearer of a laid back kind whole heap of wayquestions. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0370329929</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Geraldine McCaughrean Cath Howe|title=The Death Defying Pepper RouxMy Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I love it when I discover Ren's family home is destroyed in a new book that I just canfire. She, her parents, and her little brother lose everything. She doesn't put downhave any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and todaynow she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, for meor do anything, it was or even eat the story of Pepper Rouxfoods they normally eat. Our heroWhen she goes back to school she discovers that the class are doing a special art project, Peppercreating boxes of their lives, had his future foretold at his birth, when his Aunt Mireille had to display things that are important to them and show who they are as a vision from Saint Constance that Pepper would be dead on his fourteenth birthdayperson. On hearing this news his parents take very little interest But Ren has nothing to put in hima box, and Pepper grows up fully aware of his impending doom thanks to his very religious Aunt who forces him so she finds herself starting to confession every day, and ensures he is fully versed in the terrors of hellsteal things. SoSmall things, as you can probably guessthings that people might not really miss, his fourteenth birthday comes around and yet somehow Pepper finds that he is still alivenot when they have so much already. Through a series of chance happenings he flees the ever present menace of death, skipping from one person's life But what will happen to another, afraid at how he has somehow evaded Saint Constance and the angels of death and forever guilty at the lies he her if someone finds out what she is forced to tell to cover up his escape from death.doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192756028</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip Ardagh Rob Keeley|title=The Far From Great Escape: Grubtown TalesBoy Who Disappeared and Other Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When the Grubtown lighthouse Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is plunged into darkness because of the failure of its one massive lightbulb back with a ship called ''The Plucked Grape'' runs aground in return to the bay. It ploughs into ''short story format! The Rusty Dolphin'' where the locals are enjoying a Hot Chocolate and Bubble-Wrap Popping Night. As if this wasn't enough Boy Who Disappeared treats us to contend with the local Police Department (all three of them) have eleven new tales, each as fun to cope with a jail break when all six members of the Fox family make a bid for freedom. Their sentence only had another fortnight to go and when they're caught there'll be another trial and they'll be imprisoned for a much longer stretchread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0571242340</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anthony Horowitz Laura Noakes|title=The Devil and his BoyCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Queen Elizabeth I met with her magician late one night and asked about the fate of a man she had known many years beforeMeet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. He was deadOr rather, but his son lived onjust Cos to her friends. Meanwhile The practice in the town of Framlingham Tom Falconer worked home she lives in is for the couple who had taken him girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in after his parents diedthe ledger, and they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. There was no loveBut Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, or even affectionas the first ever inmate, from them and when he was offered unique in having no known family in the chance of escape outside world. During a daring escapade to London by steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a rich and aristocratic stranger he barely hesitateddevilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. Life was never going to be easy for the likes of Tom But why, and before long he found himself alone in London trying what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to avoid Gamaliel Ratsey – the highwayman who would see him dead.past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406305693</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Walter Moers Alice M Ross|title=The Alchemaster's ApprenticeNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=FantasyConfident Readers|summary=Meet Echo At last there is new stock in the Cratimpoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. He is a rare example of his species, which is a cat that can speak every language knownElsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. His life among She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, because she has the miserableability to leave this world, permanently ill citizens and use an unworldly portal of Malaisea is not greatkaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, which is why, when where the strange scientist from sea levels are rising dramatically and the castle that looms over everyone buildings are generally empty of humans and everything offers him a month of entertaining gluttony before he kills Echoripe for plunder. With eviction imminent, as opposed can Elsbeth nab anything to three days' starving penury on actually generate custom at the streetsshop? Well yes, is the offer is accepted.answer, but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846552222</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Hilary McKayNatasha Farrant|title=Wishing For TomorrowThe Rescue of Ravenwood|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Wishing For TomorrowVoyage of the Sparrowhawk'' picks . Ravenwood is an old house, 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 Raffy is there with his mum, and they are living together as a family. They have grown up where [[A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett]] left offswimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and loving every inch of the place. Avert your eyes if you But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the property to a developer as it've s becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not read the first book - and only about where they're going to live, but if you haventhey'tll even be together, why not?and if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340956534</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frances Hodgson BurnettRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=A Little PrincessSecret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sara Crewe has started at Miss MinchinJayden's Select Seminary For Young Ladiesnose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. She's so rich and well-behaved Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that she soon becomes known might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the little princessoutside world of Hackney, London. However But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, when her father dies shortly after going bankrupteducational purpose, and with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are real, Saraincluding the one Aisha thinks she's life is turned seen on its heada bit of local footage. 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 the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340997397</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Fiona Louise Bate B09XWSXSKY|title=GusMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Gus is Frederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the ticking of a beagle, who stands upright with his tail held high clock was playing over and over in this delightful little book he tells us about his daymind. He shares It happened every time he came to visit his garden with a couple of tortoises called Dido and Hector, but only in summer as they disappear in wintergrandfather. Hehadn's a dog who loves his comfort and we see him having his tummy tickledt really wanted to come; after all, snoozing, curled up in a chair and making artistic designs on a white duvet with his muddy paws. Hehe's always alert though – ten now and squirrel knows when itall those old clocks don's best t appeal to make himself scarce, as do some plump pigeonshim anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904312357</amazonuk>}}
}}