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Newest Confident Readers Reviews (view source)
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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Kate Pankhurst1836285493|title= Mariella Mystery Investigates: A Kitty Calamity |rating=4|genre= Confident Readers |summary= When Mariella Mystery (amazing girl detective, aged nine and a bit) and the other Mystery Girls – Violet and Poppy – start to investigate the disappearance The Double Life of their neighbour’s cat they think it’s going to be an easy case. Aren’t missing cats usually just stuck up a tree or off visiting a house where there’s tastier food? But the girls’ views begin to change when more and more cats start to disappear. Soon everyone in Puddleford is worried. The situation is suddenly serious and it’s up to the Mystery Girls to put an end to the catnapping. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444012320</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=R D Shanks|title=Merlin and Guinevere: A Happenstance Meeting: Volume 1|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Merlin is both ordinary and special. He is living a quiet, ordinary life with his father in his quiet, ordinary village. Murrow is a fisherman and he and his son have a great relationship, supportive and loving. So far, so ordinary, right? But Merlin isn't like the other boys. While they are raucous and social, Merlin is quiet and contemplative. His best friend isn't another boy; it's Happenstance, his cat. Murrow and Merlin might not realise it but the reader will - there's something special about Merlin.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1505689740</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewWheelchair User|author=Barroux|title=Where's the Elephant?Rob Keeley
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ImagineWill is a keen player of video games, dear readera conscientious student, a poor girl who slightly annoying brother and a supportive friend. But most of all, he is an aspiring writer. English is never allowed to play outside like the other childrenhis favourite lesson at his school, Marlowe Park, and one at which he excels. InsteadThis hasn't gone unnoticed by his headteacher, Mrs Howarth, and she has suggested to spend her day performing horrid chores, like sweeping up mouse-droppings in the creepy, dark cellar Will and shooing away the cockroaches in the kitchen. So begins his mum that he spends a long list couple of woes for shy Elspeth Hartafternoons a week at a different school, who toils tirelessly during the day and spends her nights sleeping in a dustyStation Road, cramped wardrobewhere his ability might be better extended.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847155952</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sophie Cleverly1836282028|title=Scarlet and Ivy The Lost TwinFighting Spirit|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Ivy's twin sister Scarlet had been the strong willed'Would you like to adopt a ghost?'' ''Young spirit, fearless one whilst Ivyborn 1887, seeks kind home to haunt. Gentleman by birth. Good company. Gets on the well with other hand, was timid children. Jokes and shyshocks a speciality. Following Scarlet's sudden death Ivy is forced to take her twin's ''If interested, place at outside your home three twigs, in the sinister Rockwood Boarding School for girls and once there she finds herself thrust into a mystery she struggles shape of an arrow, pointing to solveyour front door... Her only hope '' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is to behave as Scarlet would have done, so celebrating a decade of his wonderfully entertaining [[Rob Keeley's ''Spirits'' series in Chronological Order|Spirits]] series with the help of her a new friendadventure that is both a reboot and a continuation. Just like Doctor Who, AriadneEdward Fitzberranger, Ivy attempts our incorrigible Victorian ghost boy, has some new companions. Ruby and Jayden respond to conquer her fears this intriguing advertisement and stand up to Edward, who has broken the wicked Miss Fox rules as usual and discover what really happened to her sisterabsconded from his manor house home, is adopted by them and takes up residence in....|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007589182</amazonuk>a wardrobe!
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sam WatkinsRob Keeley|title=Creature TeacherChildish Spirits: 10th anniversary special edition
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jake’s nervous about starting his new schoolAround here, we're big fans of children's author Rob Keeley. His class teacherHe's a ball of happy positivity, Mr Hydehe understands children, is new too butand he writes for their pleasure and enjoyment, unlike Jake, he has a reason not to be worriedlecture or hector. Although class 5b quickly decide that Mr Hyde The ''Childish Spirits'' series is one of his greatest achievements. It's a sequence of ghost stories centring on Ellie, a stalwart young girl who can cope with anything the best teacher they’ve ever hadspirit world throws at her, they also discover a problem – whenever he experiences a strong emotion Mr Hyde starts to glow and transforms into Edward, a naughty, farting, biscuit-loving creature. Suddenly their teacher is wrecking the classroom spoiled lordling and they need to work together to find a way to turn the creature back into their teacher before their evil headmistress finds out.first spirit Ellie encounters|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192742655</amazonuk>1783064617
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kris HumphreyMax Boucherat|title=A Whisper The Last Life of WolvesLori Mills|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Alice is We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a Whispererblanket fort, she has one main intention, able and that is to log on to communicate with her animal companionVoxminer, Storm the wolf. Itworld-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. But first Lori has a gift tiny inkling that inspires awe this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and fear in the villagers then she servesfinds something even more spooky. A Whisperer is a guardian of For the wilds, protector server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of naturetampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in the only ones able game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to fight back against the demonic Narlaw.turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155960</amazonuk>0008666482
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Simon NicholsonKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Young HoudiniDungeon Runners: The Magician's FireHero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= As it happens, several facts about the childhood Meet Kit. Like most of the man who became people in his world famous for his daring stunts and death-defying shows have been recorded. But fiction , it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the world sport where a team of whatwarrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-ifold, magical mazes, where anything can be imaginedand race to the exit, anything can happenperhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. So what if all those 'facts' were actually a cover Unfortunately for Kit, made up to conceal Houdinithe only thing he's earliest exploits? What ifseen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, eaten, as and a boynew trio of questors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he ended up far away has taken to the goading from the token bully of his family world and his native Hungary and all alone stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in New Yorkactually managing that, having to earn a few meagre pennies each day by shining shoes? And what if his fascination with theatre life led him into dangers even greater than anything and how could he was able possibly hope to create in his later stage actsucceed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192734741</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=M G HarrisJames Sherwood Metts|title=Gerry Anderson's Gemini Force One, Black HorizonPlanet Storyland|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Life is changing very fast Things have been a bit sticky for Ben Carringtonthe Earthlings. He is at the opening of a huge skyscraper hotel his late father founded in Abu Dhabi when disaster strikes – the chap is hardly cold in his grave when Ben's mum AI and the lad automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to prove how adept they are at her old job, of mountain rescue. She feels like setting up a new rescue agency with her nous do and the family fortunes, but someone who can just amble into the opening/memorial ceremony is Jason Truby, a monumentally rich Internet magnate, who actually has a modern-day ''Thunderbirds'' entity already, the top secret Gemini Forceother tasks that took time to accomplish. Truby starts Just as they were beginning to get close used to all this technological change and starting to the family think of twoother, but the school-aged Ben isn't going new ways to be allowed to learn just what dramatic escapades spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, along with it, all the agency has to cover – is he?many daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444014064</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Geoff RodkeyTom Percival|title=The Tapper Twins Go to War (With Each Other)Wrong Shoes|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There are two kinds of children in this worldWill's life is difficult, those who are repulsed by farts, and those who delight in letting them rip, or regale their friends for their efforts – or wilfully accuse the innocent a multitude of dropping oneways. You He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can argue til 't work and doesn't have enough money for even the cows come home as to what the ratio most basic of those two camps is – which is pretty much what Claudia things like food, and Reesehis dad can't work because he lost his job at the college, two 12was working a cash-year old siblings in New York City, do – argue-hand job on a building site and had an accident. This time Throw into that mix the problem is fact that Reese loudly announced his sister to have a windy arse right mum and dad are separated, and Will's life seems bleak in the middle of the school canteenevery direction. And yet, which led her to retaliate with he still has a means to make him embarrassingly smellytiny amount of hope. He is good at art, which led him and clings to – wellthe moments of joy when he is drawing, let's just say that when Claudia defines feel like a light at the result as warend of a long, she's not far offdark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444014978</amazonuk>1398527122
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jennifer Gray and Hannah George1805141872|title=Chicken Mission: The Curse of Fogsham FarmTeacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Life is hard for ''Seventeen banks and a chickenjeweller’s have been raided. Threat comes from anywhere you look The police are baffled, but only Ben knows the truth – which his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is where the Elite Chicken Squad comes in. [[Chicken Mission: Danger in the Deep Dark Woods by Jennifer Gray|Last time]] they had really a nasty fox safecracker! With police and his friends to counter, but this time they've got it worse. A local legend speaks of a vampire mink, concerned only with draining all fowl of her gangster boyfriend Al on their bloodtrail, Miss Judson and all indications suggest Ben go on the legend run. But Al needs them for one last job...'' Goodness me, that Miss Judson is actually a lot more real and worrying. Even the barman – sorry, bar-chicken, Ichabod Comb, has vanished after an attack terror! How on his juice barearth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a bad 'un like Al? We'll find out. What's moreLuckily for Miss Judson, it seems the mink's victim becomes a zombie soldierpupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, fighting for her cause. Can the three plucky stalwarts son of the Squad – Amya famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, Boo and Ruth – prove themselves a match for such evil?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>057129829X</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elen CaldecottChristopher Edge|title=Diamonds and Daggers - The Marsh Street MysteriesBlack Hole Cinema Club|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Group Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the nickname of pre-teens get together 'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, they're looking forward to solve a mystery? Been therelots of exciting films, and many, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, done they very quickly realise that. But donsomething about this new film format is very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't be fooledeven imagine. This book stands out But as they lurch from one film genre to the crowdnext, even though it has can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to be said that many of those detective stories are really very good, for the way it incorporates utterly contemporary issues like economic migrationcinema, celebrity and prejudice, while remaining both funny and thrilling.to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408847523</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Aby King and Sam UsherAdam Stower|title=Lupo Murray and the Secret of Windsor CastleBun|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Based on the Duke Murray is supposed to be a humble, tidy and Duchess of Cambridge's real dogfriendly cat, this one who is Lupo's story, able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and although it uses the real Royals it is, of coursewell, a fictional story as you soon realise with the talking mice from MI5 and the evil villain in the form of one whatever takes his fancy next of the Queentwo. But he's Dorgia bad magician's (cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a cross between hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a corgi world of frightening adventure and a Dachshund)whiffs. If you're looking for This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a fantasy animal adventuretroll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, with plenty of actionto be honest, then look no further.but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444921444</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Linda Chapman Alex Bell and Kate HindleyTim McDonagh|title=Best Friends' Bakery: Cupcakes and ContestsThe Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Hannah's favourite TV show Eli is Junior Brilliant Bakera busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and when she hears that they are auditioning for new contestants in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the show she simply canfamily. A few short years ago, Eli't wait s parents were both lost to applythe titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of a magical beast. She rushes This has made the race anathema to tell her best friend, Mia, about the competition as she's also pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a fanconfession from gran, but then Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what will happen if only one he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of them gets on magic at the show? And what would they bake for end – the auditions? And would the show live up only thing to everything they've imagined?possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444011928</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frank Cottrell BoyceHelen Cooper|title=The Astounding Broccoli BoyTaming of the Cat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Rory Rooney is Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you're seeing a connection, they live in a boy who likes cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be preparedthe names of cheeses. His mum owns a book titled ''Don Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don't Be Scared, Be Prepared'' and match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he knows every page of displays it. Rory is as art and makes stories based on the type of boy who knows how to survive a hippo attackvisuals on it. Then And that story-telling will come in handy one day on a school trip Rory turns green. Not palenight, feeling a bit queasy green but bright broccoli green when he feels all overalone and cast out. Even Rory isn It't prepared for thiss 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 cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405054670</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Meg CabotLauren St John|title=Notebooks of a Middle-School PrincessFinding Wonder
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The author of the hugely successful ''Princess Diaries'Roo' s life has written a brand-new series for younger girlsbecome almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, telling and now she finds herself awoken in the story middle of awkward middle-school student Olivia Grace. She discovers the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her father is actually dad has dropped dead on his way to the Prince corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. When asked what other family she has, she can only name her aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of Genovia. But she has no one else, making and so off she goes to live with herunreliable aunt...a princess! Not everyone responds well Things continue to the newsget worse for Roo, howeveras when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in the middle of nowhere and poor Olivia is soon thrown then bursts into a world of jealous bullies, intrusive paparazzi, disgruntled relatives and a whole new family she never knew existed.flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447280652</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Heidi SchulzAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=HookOscar's DaughterLion
|rating=3
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Captain Hook's daughterWe start incredibly bluntly, Jocelyn, dreams of being a pirate like her infamous with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but instead gets sent mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to finishing be ready for school. Sailing to Neverland after escaping But when he enters his parents' bedroom, she swears revenge all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and admitting that he won't be hungry for another two days. But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the crocodile bully that killed ruined a birthday party for Oscar the notorious pirateother month. And it can shapeshift, but is saddled with so he can take it to school and it can get him out of a crew who perhaps arenproblem. And it't s wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the most bloodthirsty pirates rules, and so on the seven seas. OK, then meets up with several characters who'll be familiar to readers of ''Peter Pan'it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time. Can she fulfil her quest?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1910002216</amazonuk>0008596751
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo Judith Eagle|title=Asterix Omnibus 9 |rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=If I had to pinpoint when my obsession with reading started, I would say it was when I discovered the adventures of Asterix and his rotund pal Obelix. I would walk down to my local village Library after school and pick up 8 adventures, only to read them overnight and set off the next day for more. The fun visuals, bright colours and daft characters really appealed to me then, but what about the children of today? Is there enough in the, up to, 60 year old adventures to appeal?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444009664</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Ulf Nilsson and Gitte Spee|title=Detective Gordon: The First CaseStolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Vladimir Caro's mother, a world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is not happynow missing. Someone has been at his nutsHer other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to take care of her sister who is unwell. YesSo who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, out of his stores of several thousand nuts, Vladimir the squirrel someone Caro has been robbed of a couple hundredheard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and confused and if the truth be known he's not the first in the forestworried. But at least heAll her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's gone for the help of Detective Gordonhouse, along with an orphan boy, Albie, the police authority throughout the woodlandwho is living there too. Tasked with making sure it was But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, as she discovers a crime painting of notea bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, and of solving it if necessary, Gordon has got serious, all across London a fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and staked out Vladimir's pantry until he's frozen solidterrorising people. Which is not good when youIs the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro're a toad. s mother? But even with his many years of experience behind him, Gordon could never predict what happens after he sees someone steal a further nut from Is she somehow involved in the stash…mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1927271509</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Eve Furnari and Alison Entrekin (translator)Tania Unsworth|title=Fuzz McFlopsNowhere Island|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Fuzz McFlopsGil. He's the most famousJust twelve, reclusive rabbit author there he is so determined to escape the care system – reclusive due to one ear being much shorter than the othersystem that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a home for himself. He's been miserable for that reason so longis en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it takes one of ride him to his fans future. That future seems to point out how much brighter be in jeopardy when someone steals his poems and stories could be one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an injection island between the two directions of warmth a motorway, a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and funseclusion. But just as some people are 'happy being sad'Them, so Fuzz's life and temperament will be forced to change with the arrival of hearta mute girl also finding a home there, humour and lovealbeit so much more successfully. But first he 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 have to welcome that arrival…not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782690751</amazonuk>1804540080
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Berlie DohertyHelen Peters|title=Far From HomeFriends and Traitors|rating=4.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Lizzie and Emily Jarvis can no longer be in England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the care of their mother as she has become severely illcountry pile called Stanbrook. She leaves them One is Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it seems, like the care of female generations before her best friend. The other is Sidney, a cook, but when things go wrong, the girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are sent to the Victorian mills where they are worked chalk and cheese, and if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each day till other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are beyond exhausted received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and the not only thing that keeps them going is counting down , a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the days till they girls are able to leave.wrong, and the upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007578822</amazonuk>1788004647
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sally NichollsJamie Littler|title=An Island of Our OwnArkspire|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet Holly. She livesTwo sisters, with her older brother Juniper andElodie, erborn fifteen minutes apart, shall we say demanding younger brotherare 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 a flat above a London chippythe Badlands. That's right – no parents aroundElodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the religious districts of Arkspire, as all three are orphans. Older brother Jonathan sacrificed uni perhaps even to become the child in line to be their legal guardianinherit the power of the Watcher, so is ostensibly their carer as well as siblingthe closest to a ruler the district has, which means that welfare and what he earns being a grease monkey one of the five major victors in a corner café is all they live onsaid earlier war. Times, therefore, are hardBeing trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the whole family. But twelve year old Holly does have a straw to clutch on in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her own – 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 that nobody knows where it may be…good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407124331</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lincoln Peirce024162343X|title=Big Nate: Laugh-O-Rama (Big Nate Activity Book 4)Stolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=This seems to be a firmly established publishing practise now – I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the enhanced readership experience offered to fans existence of a franchise by a tie-in activity book'god'. This is yet another example – looking like a genuine entry in an on-going series Where was the proof? In history lessons, it instead offers was probably worse still. Not too long after the fan end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the characters British army's successes (and occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the chance colonies' as want to interact with them dispute what right the army had to be there in new ways, as well as looking back through the shelves of their collection, and inwardly as well, at their own thoughts and tastesfirst place. Note Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I say itlacked the maturity to approach 's for a fan – this example will alienate anyone else from the first page – but for the right audience it’s generally a good thingproblem' politely. And in this instance itI wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's a very, very good thing indeed''Stolen History''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007569076</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ronald WelchThiago de Moraes|title=The GauntletOld Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''The Gauntlet'' was one of Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the iconic books school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of my childhoodnuisance. Why iconic? It But just when she's an overbeing told that by her one-used wordlast-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Why Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not say 'most memorablejust the town the school's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that powers the Internet, just for our convenience'outstanding's sake). Trixie, 'most magical and exciting'luckily, -- or simply 'best'? Any realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of those would do but I think I'll allow myself iconicpower from us. The gauntlet of And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the title justifies characters from myth that wordhave past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, giants, half-gods and so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192738593</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lance RubinHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Denton Little's DeathdateFinding Bear
|rating=4.5
|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=''Tomorrow is [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a polar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, things on the day I'm going to die. I don't mean to get all dramatic about it. I've known that tomorrow is domestic and family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for her, and so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the day I will die since I islands Bear was bornlast left on.. Just like almost everyone else in the world knows their deathdate. But do I need to get movie For a bear doing very Bear-preview-voice-over-guy intense about it? Probably noty things has been shot and wounded.'' Oh! I think I would want Desperate to get intense about impending death. Donmake sure he't you think you woulds OK, too? But imagine what it's like she and her father return to live the Arctic and hope that in a world where everyone knows the day they will die. Rituals of very white and very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and conventions spring up. You get to go to your own funeral. You could even get to make that the most of your life if you know when it endsfriendship can continue. You won't pass up so many opportunities, perhaps?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471124231</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elizabeth WeinSimon Fox|title=Black Dove, White RavenDeadlock|rating=4.5|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=The essential role of aviators in Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the success or failure of modern war is force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a givensecret place, and fiction is full of join him on the derring-do and dog-fight exploits of moustachioed heroes waving their trade-mark silk scarves as they land their frail and battered craft at a friendly airstriprun. But what if They get together, but barely begin to smell the enemy planes outnumber those whiff of your country by hundredsSouthern trains when the father is arrested, leaving Archie on the late express to Brighton, if not thousandstoting a tin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and you, the pilot, are barely out bearer of a whole heap of your childhood?questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405271361</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris Priestley and Vladimir Stankovic Cath Howe|title=The Wickford DoomMy Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Following Harry’s father’s death Ren's family home is destroyed in the wara fire. She, her parents, he and his mother learn that they’ve inherited a bequest her little brother lose everything. She doesn't have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from a relative. When her cupboard, and now she is living at her grandmother's house where they arrive to claim itcan't touch anything, thoughor do anything, or even eat the foods they find normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that they’ve been the victims class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and show who they are as a dying man’s last cruel prankperson. But there are local tales of missing children and Ren has nothing to put in a strange painting called the Doombox, and Harry quickly learns so she finds herself starting to steal things. Small things, things that there may be something far more evil than a nasty joke people might not really miss, not when they have so much already. But what will happen to worry about. Can he fight back against ither if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781124094</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeanne WillisRob Keeley|title=Supercat vs the Pesky Pirate (Supercat, Book 3)The Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We all know Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to the short storyformat! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, you’re a cat and you wake up one day, lick a toxic sock and end up each as fun to read as a crime fighting cat, right? Well SuperCat is back in this rip roaring (or should that be meowing?) adventure, SuperCat vs The Pesky Piratehis previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007518676</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lauren St JohnLaura Noakes|title=The Glory|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=Alex is what you might call Cosima Unfortunate Steals a disruptive teenager. She's always getting into trouble but the latest trouble is the worst yet and her mum and step-dad have had enough. Even her father, far away in Australia with his new family, thinks something must be done. So Alex is sent all the way out to the States to a teenage boot camp. But even naughty teenagers have their plus points, and Alex's is her love of horses. She'll do anything to save the mustang scout from the slaughterhouse.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444012754</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Dan Gemeinhart|title=The Honest TruthStar|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Mark has been battling cancer for more than half his lifeMeet Number One. For the last seven years he has missed schoolOr rather, been through treatmentsCosima Unfortunate. Or rather, and come close just Cos to death time and againher friends. With The practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to just be named by the call that once again number they correspond to in the cancer is backledger, he just can't face going through it again and so he takes his dog Beau and they run away 're 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 go be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, and climb unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a mountaindaring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, with she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the intention girls for his Institute. But why, and what does that he will never return.body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1910002135</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tim BowlerAlice M Ross|title=Game ChangerThe Nowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=We here at At last there is new stock in the Bookbag aren't always of impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a Reithian, canon-following bent; we don't necessarily feel the need to urge classic texts down our readers' throatsseaside town. But in Elsbeth knows this instance because she has stolen it is worthwhile. Not since She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, because she has the ability to leave this book first appeared 150 years ago has something so surrealworld, and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, so oddball where the sea levels are rising dramatically and so peculiarly plotted captured the imagination anything quite as this didbuildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. It's a classic thatWith eviction imminent, if you haven't before, you can polish off in definitely under two hours. Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the shop? It's something then that on this occasion I suggest you should doWell yes, is the answer, if but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only to find out what complete rubbish it is.raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406361577</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Abi ElphinstoneNatasha Farrant|title=The DreamsnatcherRescue of Ravenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Twelve year This story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old Moll wakes house, in the night to find herself deep in the dark forestNorth of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. The nightmare that haunts her sleep has brought her to They are part of a place of dangercomplex, extended family arrangement, summoned as Bea is there by the evil Skull with her Uncle Leo, and Raffy is there with his wicked sorcerymum, and they are living together as a family. Moll and her fiercely protective wildcat They have grown up swimming in the cove, Gryffroaming through the trees, must fight back against completely at one with all of the nature around the house and loving every inch of the dark magic before it place. But now the house is under threat, as Leo is too late. At first she does not understand why she has been chosen for under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the task but property to a developer as her chilling adventure continues Moll learns it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about her past where they're going to live, but if they'll even be together, and the part it if Ravenwood itself will play in saving those she loves from Skull and the horror he threatensbe torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471122689</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Charlie FletcherRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Dragon Shield: 02Secret Beast Club: The London PrideUnicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jayden''Your city s nose is lostforever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, for example. Your city Aisha is not yoursaddicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. Your city The problem, as their mothers see it, is mine.that they are never 'out there' That's what Bast says. The Ancient Egyptian goddessthemselves, freed from thousands exploring the outside world of years imprisonmentHackney, has unleashed her magicLondon. Time has stopped. All the humans are frozen in suspended animation. All the humans except But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, that iseducational purpose, brother and sister Will and Jowith a past involving Jayden's cousin, who they find a magical world they never knew existed. For many of those mythological creatures are protected by real, including the scarab bracelets they wearone Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of local footage. And now The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, Bast has even succeeded in freezing some of are tasked with saving the Spits (good statues) rare critters – and has sent the bad statues (Taints) kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to find join in. Dare they side with Leila, the two children woman on board, and her relative who are threatening her plans.lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444917358</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jane ElsonB09XWSXSKY|title=How to Fly with Broken WingsMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski|rating=54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Willem doesnFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't usually find homework challengingsleep. He's good at schoolwork A tune, rather like the ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his mind. But Mrs Hubert has given him an assignment It happened every time he's going came to find difficultvisit his grandfather. He must make two friends of his own age. Thathadn't really wanted to come; after all, he's tricky when you're on the autistic spectrum ten now and you all those old clocks don't communicate wellappeal to him anymore. It ''s even more difficult when almost all your classmates join in with Finn when he bullies you and makes you jump from increasingly high places. Sasha Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is torntell the time. She loves Finn to pieces but she can And time isn't bear bullying and she hates herself good for not standing up for Willemanything. And Finn has a secret of his own that's driving his rotten behaviour.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444916769</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom |title=Viking Longship|rating=3.5''|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary=''Fly on And that was why he was looking at the clock beside the Wall'' is a new series of history books by award-winning duo Manning and Granström, which aim to bring history to life for young readersbed. It was nearly twelve o''Viking Longship'' is clock but at midnight the story of Grimm, a Viking warrior who buys a broken ship called the Sea Dragon and fixes clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it up but to set sail in search of pastures new. The story follows Grimm's progress as he invades England with his band of warriors go and then creates a farm settlement find grandad - but where his family can live in peace. The book touches on various aspects of Viking life before coming full circle when was he? And why had all the settlement is raided by Saxons, culminating in a Viking funeral and a final image of the longboat in flames.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847806244</amazonuk>clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?
}}
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