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Newest Confident Readers Reviews (view source)
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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Caleb Krisp and John Kelly1836285493|title=Anyone But Ivy PocketThe Double Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=12-year-old maid Ivy Pocket Will is at a loose end after her employer the Countess Carbunkle leaves her for South America "for no other reason than it keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and a supportive friend. But most of all, he is far enough away from Paris to ensure that I never see you againan aspiring writer." Charitably deciding that the old woman English is 'bonkers' on the basis that anyone who doesnhis favourite lesson at his school, Marlowe Park, and one at which he excels. This hasn't see how wonderful she is couldn't possibly be in their right mindgone unnoticed by his headteacher, Mrs Howarth, Ivy thinks she'll stroll into another job but finds it more difficult than and she'd expect - until the Duchess of Trinity gives her an important mission; has suggested to deliver Will and his mum that he spends a priceless diamond necklace to the granddaughter couple of an estranged friend. But what should be afternoons a week at a simple task becomes fraught with danger as Ivy faces obnoxious aristocratsdifferent school, strange creaturesStation Road, and betrayalwhere his ability might be better extended.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408858630</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Esme Kerr1836282028|title=Mischief at MidnightThe Fighting Spirit|author=Rob Keeley|rating=34
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= At the slightly strange school of Knight's Haddon'Would you like to adopt a ghost?'' ''Young spirit, born 1887, there's always something intriguing going seeks kind home to haunt. Gentleman by birth. Good company. Gets onwell with other children. New girl Janet, cool Jokes and confident even when arguing with the teachershocks a speciality.'' ''sIf interested, place outside your home three twigs, is in the big surprise for Edie this termshape of an arrow, and they become friends - but Anastasia feels forced out by the newer studentpointing to your front door...'' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is celebrating a decade of his wonderfully entertaining [[Rob Keeley's presence''Spirits'' series in Chronological Order|Spirits]] series with a new adventure that is both a reboot and a continuation. Then Just like Doctor Who, Edward Fitzberranger, our incorrigible Victorian ghost boy, has some things happen which make Edie start new companions. Ruby and Jayden respond to wonder if Janet this intriguing advertisement and Edward, who has broken the rules as usual and absconded from his manor house home, is hiding something - can she solve another mystery?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>190948900X</amazonuk>adopted by them and takes up residence in.... a wardrobe!
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gareth P JonesRob Keeley|title=Attack of the Giant Sea Spiders (Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates)Childish Spirits: 10th anniversary special edition
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ItAround here, we're big fans of children's a three-way battle in the Slurring Mariner pubauthor Rob Keeley. On the one hand, four Steampunk Pirates – He's a fine mix ball of vicioushappy positivity, he understands children, nefarious and metallic mariners who would make any passing human gulp (which he writes for their pleasure and enjoyment, not to lecture or hector. The ''Childish Spirits'' series is more than you could ever say one of the beer)his greatest achievements. On another, the Dread Captain InkybeardIt's a sequence of ghost stories centring on Ellie, who is married to a squid stalwart young girl who lives on his head and keeps his facial hair dark. On can cope with anything the third, a ridiculously richspirit world throws at her, ridiculously French and ridiculously successful recruiter – but to just what is he taking so many seamen? Whatever it isEdward, it's enough to get the Pirates a spoiled lordling and Inkybeard working together (ish) to solve the problem – but someone else might just be controlling the whole farrago…first spirit Ellie encounters|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155995</amazonuk>1783064617
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Liz PichonMax Boucherat|title=Yes! No (Maybe...) (Tom Gates)The Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= Work. ItWe meet Lori on the first evening she's not something Tom Gates has been guilty of much before now got the house to herself – unless it's no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work out how , just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and where that is to log on to hide his favourite caramel wafersVoxminer, or how to deflect the evil grin of his slightly goth older sisterworld-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. But itfirst Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn's t find herself entirely on the cards this time round – not only does his mother have the inspired idea of clearing the house out for a car boot sale (which causes disasters) the school is having an enterprise competitionher own, where groups of students have to create and then she finds something even more spooky. For the server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to sell on to their peers at a profitenter shows signs of tampering. But it's not like Tom wants much When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in the game has been doctored – of coursewell, he's where is a simple lad, with no real desires as such – he's never going to want to go hell for leather girl to get anything, is heturn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407143190</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Linda Chapman Kieran Larwood and Kate HindleyJoe Todd-Stanton|title=Best Friends’ BakeryDungeon Runners: Birthdays and BiscuitsHero Trial|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In this, Meet Kit. Like most of the fourth story people in the Best Friends’ Bakery serieshis world, it seems, Hannah he is recovering from her sadness at being thrown off an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the Junior Baker show on TV. Fortunately there’s plenty going on in her town sport where a team of warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and at her mum’s bakery race to keep her busythe exit, perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the way. There’s a new beauty shop opening to bake Unfortunately forKit, the only thing he's seen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, a doggy rescue centre in troubleeaten, and a new girl who seems intent on stopping anyone trio of questors is needed. Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from befriending herthe token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. How will Hannah get on with these new challenges What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in her lifeactually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444011944</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frances HardingeJames Sherwood Metts|title=Cuckoo SongPlanet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Marketed as Things have been a twisted fairy talebit sticky for the Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they''Cuckoo Song'' is so much more. Hardinge’s lyrical style sets it apart from re paid to do and other fantasy readstasks that took time to accomplish. Such phrases Just as ''she was weeping spider silk'' lend it a melody they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of its own. At the story’s heart is the sense of wanting other, new ways to belong and connect with others. It revolves around Piers Crescent’s daughter Triss who wakes up after spend time, along came an accident to find that her world has changedawful pandemic. She doesn’t feel that she is herself Life was pretty much shut down and starts to exhibit extremely peculiar behaviour. She is ravenous and inexplicably binge eats. For some reason her little sister Pen appears to hate her, scissors act strangely around her and her parents are anxious for her to remain ill and cosseted. She has memories from along with it, all the time before she nearly drowned but she can’t visualise the actual incidentmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330519735</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Phil Earle and Sara OgilvieTom Percival|title=Demolition DadThe Wrong Shoes|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=JakeWill's dad life is difficult, in a wrestlermultitude of ways. Nobody knows however, He is bullied because Jakehe has 'the wrong shoes's dad also insists that Jake keeps it a secret, so that no one realises that come the weekend he leaves behind has the demolition sites that he works on, puts on wrong shoes because his spandex suit dad can't work and enters doesn't have enough money for even the ring as 'Demolition Man'! But Jake is so proud most basic of things like food, and his dad that his alter ego can't remain work because he lost his job at the college, was working a secret for long, cash-in-hand job on a building site and he sets about trying to change had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dadare separated, and Will's life through seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of hope. He is good at art, and clings to the world moments of wrestlingjoy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444013866</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Meg Cabot1805141872|title=Notebooks of a Middle-School PrincessThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. The author of police are baffled, but only Ben knows the 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 hugely successful run. But Al needs them for one last job...''Princess Diaries Goodness me, that Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a bad 'un like Al? We' has written a brand-new series ll find out. Luckily for younger girlsMiss Judson, telling the story of awkward middle-school student Olivia Grace. She pupil who discovers that her father terrible secret is actually Ben, the Prince son of Genovia, making her...a princess! Not everyone responds well famous magician who has ambitions to the news, howeverbe as good as his father some day, and poor Olivia who thinks Miss Judson is soon thrown into a world of jealous bullies, intrusive paparazzi, disgruntled relatives and a whole new family she never knew existed.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1447280652</amazonuk>worth saving
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel HamiltonChristopher Edge|title=The Case of the Exploding BrainsBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= YouLucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. All big movie fans, they'd thinkre looking forward to lots of exciting films, with one parent in prison and many, many snacks! However, as the other movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But as they lurch from one hardly ever moving from film genre to the sofanext, that middle school student Noelle Hawkins would have far too many problems can they figure out what on earth is going on her hands already ? Will they ever get back to start worrying about the occasional little explosion at the Science Museum. After allcinema, that's the kind of thing that's bound and to happen in a place littered with heaps of seriously wacky inventions, righttheir real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147112133X</amazonuk>1839942738
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dave LoweAdam Stower|title= Squirrel Boy vs the Squirrel Hunter Murray and Bun|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= Ten year old Walter Kettle Murray is an ordinary boy until he eats a nut. Then he transforms into unlikely superhero Squirrel Boy whose only superpowers seem supposed to be a large bushy tailhumble, an ability tidy and friendly cat, one who is able to climb trees sleep and eat and eat and sleep and run very fast, and a sudden understanding well, whatever takes his fancy next of ‘Squirrelish’ (the language used by squirrels)two. In But he's a bad magician's cat, so his second favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventureand whiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, we join Walter to find out whether these unusual powers will be enough honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to defeat the determined Squirrel Hunter and save the squirrel population in the local park.do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1907912738</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lewis CarrollAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition with Dame Vivienne Westwood)The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Somewhere the book reviewing gods have Eli is a list of those classic titles that you cannot deny or begrudge their place busy lad – by day an apprentice in literary historythe wondrous library we start by visiting with him, that are soon to have and in the evening a 150th birthday party with my name on an invitehelper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. That means littleEli lives with his lovely gran, as I too – and for there is a generation missing in fact most people – will of course be reading them on their unbirthday, but the list does include the current recipient of that honourfamily. A few short years ago, ''AliceEli's Adventures parents were both lost to the titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in Wonderland''the company of a magical beast. It being long out of copyright anyone can put together This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a bad incident at the eatery leads to a 150th birthday edition for itconfession from gran, but this Eli knows his only hope is one of the more distinctive effortsto dare to enter what he most hates, for it comes with the help sole aim the prize of Dame Vivienne Westwood. And even though I have [[Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition) by Lewis Carroll and Anthony Browne|spoken before]] of how I don't take to magic at the book, I can hereby declare this party was made all end – the better for being twice as long, all courtesy of the presence of Lewis Carrollonly thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>178487017X</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alexander McCall SmithHelen Cooper|title=Akimbo AdventuresThe Taming of the Cat|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I amOnce again, it must be said, something of an Alexander McCall Smith addictmice are pitched against cat. I In this case, principally, we have handed out free copies of his books for World Book NightBrie the mouse, I met him up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in Oxford at case you're seeing a literary festivalconnection, they live in a cheese shop and I read pretty much everything therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don't match the other mice he writes lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as he writes art and makes stories based on the visuals on it! . This time it’s a children’s book, with three stories And that story-telling will come in handy one volume night, when he feels all about a boy called Akimboalone and cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. He lives on This makes Brie the edge of a game reserve top dog in Africathe mouse community, and these stories are though, as all about his rather amazing adventures with the animals who also share his homeothers 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>1405265345</amazonuk>0571376010
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah GarlandLauren St John|title=Azzi in BetweenFinding Wonder|rating=54|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=Our story begins Roo's life has become almost impossibly difficult. Her mum died when she was young, and now she finds herself awoken in the middle of the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his way to the corner shop to buy a country at warlottery ticket. Unfortunately you could probably put a When asked what other family she has, she can only name to it (although it isnher aunt, Joni, who she knows her dad didn't named) as it happens all too regularlythink very highly of. Our heroine is Azzi, a young girl whose life was not ''too'' affected by the warBut she has no one else, but every day it came a little closer. Her father still worked as a doctor and so off she goes to live with her mother made beautiful clothes. Her grandmother wove warm blanketsunreliable aunt. Then the day came when they had Things continue to run, get worse for their livesRoo, as when she and escape was by boat and they became refugees. The three of them - for Grandma had been left behind - had been luckier than most for they were accepted on a temporary basis into another country (again itJoni leave London in Joni's not named) and they had a homeold campervan, although it was just one room.breaks down in the middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806511</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah GarlandAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Eddie's Tent and How to go Camping|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Mum, Tom, Tilly, Lily and Eddie wanted to go on holiday and camping seemed like the ideal way to go. Lily and Tilly thought it was a brilliant idea and they had some experience, although their 'tent' did look just a little bit like a duvet over a chair. ItOscar's surprising what you need for a holiday, but Lily and Tilly had to be told to start again when Mum saw what they'd packed! But finally, Tom began to load the car and off they went.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184780408X</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=W Awdry|title=Thomas the Tank Engine 70th Anniversary SlipcaseLion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ThomasWe start incredibly bluntly, if you don't knowwith Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a little Tank Enginecouple of times before he has to be ready for school. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, who all he sees is very quick to build up a head of steam mahoosive male lion on their bed, looking sheepish, and move his coaches and trucks around the train yards and networks admitting that he works onwon't be hungry for another two days. That does mean that he has But there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown up by as an unspoken threat to the largerbully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, slower engines when so he continually blows his whistle can take it to disturb their rest, school and it can even forget to bring any carriages with get him when he's pulling out of a train, but he does mean wellproblem. HeAnd it's a warmwonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, feisty little characterbeing much more lax about the rules, and was probably always bound to become a bit of a favourite with warm, feisty young readers, especially those brought up with an eye to the romance of the railwaysso on. But he wasnOK, it can't the first we met in the series that in public shorthand at least bears his namework a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405277270</amazonuk>0008596751
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy HopkinsJudith Eagle|title=Mum Never Did Learn to KnockThe Stolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= Everybody knows if you have Caro's mother, a special gift like seeing through walls or the ability world-famous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, is having to go up North to take care of her sister who is unwell. So who is going to speak giraffe you have look after Caro? Sent to keep it secretstay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, she feels frustrated and confused and worried. If you don All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady'ts house, along with an orphan boy, men Albie, who is living there too. But she soon finds herself caught up in dark suits a mystery, 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 Snakes are thieving artworks and wrap-around shades take you away terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to experiment on you. (the gang? And if itwhat has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the wall thing, girls will assume you're spying on them when they get changed for PE and beat you up.) mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407148753</amazonuk>0571363148
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Eric ColossalTania Unsworth|title=Rutabaga the Adventure Chef: Book 1Nowhere Island|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet the latest adventurer to scour the landGil. He has a talent for finding the obscure and seeking out the rareJust twelve, and surviving all he is so determined to escape the undignified fates care system – the world has system that constantly puts him in store. He even has futureless places that are not homes – and find a magical companionhome for himself. He will be open is en route to any challenge set upon yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, and lets it ride him, from locating dragon-smiting swords to besting his future. That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the largesttwo directions of a motorway, most locally loved, rivala place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. He is RutabagaThem, and he isa mute girl also finding a home there, of coursealbeit so much more successfully. Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, a chef.or if this is one place where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1419715976</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom McLaughlin Helen Peters|title=The Accidental Prime Minister Friends and Traitors
|rating=3
|genre=Confident Readers |summary=What would happen if a shyEngland, slightly clumsyWW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, 12 year old boy accidently found himself destined to be in service all her life it seems, like the top jobfemale generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, living in Number Ten and making decisions for the country as Prime Minister? This if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something is the premise behind Tom McLaughlin’s debut middle grade novel amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the answer is simple – there’d Lord Evesham must be national ‘Fancy Dress Friday’ every week (on a Thursday)rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, high fives would be used instead talk is made of handshakesmeetings with Germans, jelly would be available on and not only that, a local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the NHSgirls are wrong, and one day every month the pupils would get to upper class could never be the teachers. so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192737740</amazonuk>1788004647
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Derek Keilty and Jonny DuddleJamie Littler|title= Will Gallows and the Wolfer's Deadly MagicArkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Will Gallows Two sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is just a week away from being a fully-fledged member of the Sky Cavalry – an eager hunter and his talkingtrader in illicit magic, winged horse is even more keen on hitting the passing including relics from prior major wars left out ceremony on in the noseBadlands. But things aren't all going Elodie is intent on getting closer to go their way – Mid-Rock City has received a blackmail notepower in one of the religious districts of Arkspire, extorting perhaps even to become the town out child in line to inherit the power of the Watcher, the closest to a lot of gold for threat of a 'death mace'ruler the district has, and one of which nobody has ever heardthe five major victors in said earlier war. Certain factors all point to Will being the best cadet to take part Being trained in nixing the handover to magic that only five people can use would definitely change the criminal, not least status of which is his half-hidden secret magic skill due to being part-elf – but as soon as it's realised who the baddy is, things immediately step up a gearwhole family. And if that isn't bad enoughBut in finding something oddly magical, Will's grandma and great-uncle have Juniper might just turned up be able to gain some power of her own – for a pleasant trip based around his graduation…good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783440597</amazonuk>0241586143
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Kate Pankhurst024162343X|title= Mariella Mystery Investigates: A Kitty Calamity Stolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera|rating=45|genre= Confident Readers Children's Non-Fiction|summary= When Mariella Mystery (amazing girl detective, aged nine and a bit) and I was the bad company other Mystery Girls – Violet and Poppy – start to investigate people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the disappearance existence of their neighbour’s cat they think it’s going to be an easy casea 'god'. Aren’t missing cats usually just stuck up a tree or off visiting a house where there’s tastier food Where was the proof? But In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Not too long after the girls’ views begin end of WWII, I didn't so much want to change when more learn about the British army's successes (and more cats start occasional failures, but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to be called 'the colonies' as want to dispute what right the army had to disappear. Soon everyone be there in Puddleford is worriedthe first place. The situation is suddenly serious and it’s up to Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the Mystery Girls to put an end maturity to approach 'the catnappingproblem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444012320</amazonuk>
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=R D ShanksThiago de Moraes|title=Merlin and Guinevere: A Happenstance Meeting: Volume 1Old Gods New Tricks|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Merlin is both ordinary and specialMeet Trixie. He is living a quiet Forever getting into scrapes, ordinary life larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with his father in his quietfart powder, ordinary villageshe could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. Murrow is a fisherman and he and his son have a great relationship But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, supportive and lovingthe world changes. So far Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, so ordinaryeven of electric cars, right? But Merlin isnhits not just the town the school't like s in but the other boys. While they are raucous entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and socialall that powers the Internet, Merlin is quiet and contemplative. His best friend isn't another boy; itjust for our convenience's Happenstancesake). Trixie, his catluckily, realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. Murrow and Merlin might not realise And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the people that can steal it but back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the reader will semi- there's something special about Merlindeities, giants, half-gods and so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1505689740</amazonuk>178845295X
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=BarrouxHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Where's the Elephant?Finding Bear|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=We've all [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had great fun been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with books such as ''Where's Wally''a polar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, haven't we? They appeal to children things on the domestic and adults family front are a bit advanced, but not perfect for her, and everyone who has seen ''Where's so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the Elephant?'' has jumped in with great enthusiasm, keen to show just how observant they areislands Bear was last left on. We start off with For a forest bear doing very Bear- actually ity things has been shot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he's OK, she and her father return to the Amazon Rainforest - full Arctic and hope that in a world of glorious colours very white and our three friendsvery dangerous things, who are hiding in there. Elephant is probably the easiest to spot, but Snake she can find one specific white and Parrot are in there too dangerous thing – and with a little concentration you'll find them. When you turn the page you'll scan that the trees again and discover their hiding places. You even wonder if it might get a little ''boring'' if it goes on like thisfriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405271388</amazonuk>0008582017
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah ForbesSimon Fox|title=Elspeth Hart and the School for Show-offsDeadlock|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ImagineLate one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, dear readerand then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a poor girl who is never allowed to play outside like secret place, and join him on the other childrenrun. Instead They get together, she has but barely begin to spend her day performing horrid choressmell the whiff of Southern trains when the father is arrested, like sweeping up mouse-droppings in leaving Archie on the creepylate express to Brighton, toting a tin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, dark cellar and shooing away the cockroaches in the kitchen. So begins bearer of a long list whole heap of woes for shy Elspeth Hart, who toils tirelessly during the day and spends her nights sleeping in a dusty, cramped wardrobequestions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155952</amazonuk>1839944420
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sophie CleverlyCath Howe|title=Scarlet and Ivy The Lost TwinMy Life on Fire|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=IvyRen's twin sister Scarlet had been the strong willedfamily home is destroyed in a fire. She, fearless one whilst Ivyher parents, on the other hand, was timid and shyher little brother lose everything. Following Scarlet She doesn's sudden death Ivy t have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and now she is forced to take living at her twingrandmother's place at house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the sinister Rockwood Boarding School for girls and once there foods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she finds herself thrust into discovers that the class are doing a mystery she struggles special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to solvethem and show who they are as a person. Her only hope is But Ren has nothing to behave as Scarlet would have doneput in a box, and so with the help of her new friendshe finds herself starting to steal things. Small things, Ariadnethings that people might not really miss, Ivy attempts not when they have so much already. But what will happen to conquer her fears and stand up to the wicked Miss Fox and discover if someone finds out what really happened to her sister.she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007589182</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sam WatkinsRob Keeley|title=Creature TeacherThe Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jake’s nervous about starting his new school. His class teacher, Mr Hyde, Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is new too but, unlike Jake, he has back with a reason return to be worried. Although class 5b quickly decide that Mr Hyde is the best teacher they’ve ever had, they also discover a problem – whenever he experiences a strong emotion Mr Hyde starts short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to glow and transforms into a naughtyeleven new tales, farting, biscuit-loving creature. Suddenly their teacher is wrecking the classroom and they need each as fun to work together to find a way to turn the creature back into their teacher before their evil headmistress finds outread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192742655</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kris HumphreyLaura Noakes|title=A Whisper of WolvesCosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating=34
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Alice Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the home she lives in is a Whispererfor the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in the ledger, able to communicate and they're all Unfortunates – young people with her animal companiondisabilities, Storm uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But Cosima bears the wolf. It's tag as a gift that inspires awe surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, and fear unique in having no known family in the villagers she servesoutside world. A Whisperer is During a guardian of daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the wildskitchen one afternoon, protector of natureshe discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for his Institute. But why, and the only ones able what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to fight back against the demonic Narlaw.past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155960</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Simon NicholsonAlice M Ross|title=Young Houdini: The Magician's FireNowhere Thief|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= As At last there is new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and her mother run in a seaside town. Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it happens. She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, several facts about because she has the childhood ability to leave this world, and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the man who became world famous for his daring stunts sea levels are rising dramatically and death-defying shows have been recorded. But fiction is the world buildings are generally empty of what-ifhumans and ripe for plunder. With eviction imminent, where anything can be imagined, Elsbeth nab anything can happen. So what if all those 'facts' were to actually a covergenerate custom at the shop? Well yes, made up to conceal Houdini's earliest exploits? What ifis the answer, as but the fact a boy, he ended up far away mysterious man knows exactly which items come from his family and his native Hungary and all alone in New York, 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 he was able to create in his later stage act?these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192734741</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=M G HarrisNatasha Farrant|title=Gerry Anderson's Gemini Force One, Black HorizonThe Rescue of Ravenwood|rating=3.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Life This story is changing very fast for Ben Carringtonanother excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. He Ravenwood is at an old house, in the opening North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a huge skyscraper hotel his late father founded in Abu Dhabi when disaster strikes – the chap complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and Raffy is hardly cold in there with his grave when Ben's mum , and the lad have to prove how adept they are at her old job, of mountain rescueliving together as a family. She feels like setting They have grown up a new rescue agency swimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with her nous all of the nature around the house and loving every inch of the family fortunes, but someone who can just amble into place. But now the opening/memorial ceremony house is Jason Trubyunder threat, as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the property to a monumentally rich Internet magnate, who actually has a modern-day developer as it''Thunderbirds'' entity already, the top secret Gemini Forces becoming more and more expensive to maintain. Truby starts The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to get close to the family of twolive, but the school-aged Ben isnif they't going to ll even be together, and if Ravenwood itself will be allowed to learn just what dramatic escapades the agency has to cover – is he?torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444014064</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Geoff RodkeyRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The Tapper Twins Go to War (With Each Other)Unicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There are two kinds of children Jayden's nose is forever in this world, those who are repulsed by fartsa book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and those who delight in letting them ripunicorns of the world, or regale their friends for their efforts – or wilfully accuse the innocent example. Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of dropping oneanything that might be out there. You can argue til the cows come home The problem, as to what their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the ratio outside world of those two camps is – which is pretty much what Claudia and ReeseHackney, two 12London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-year old siblings in New York Cityminded, educational purpose, and with a past involving Jayden's cousin, do – arguethey find a magical world they never knew existed. This time For many of those mythological creatures are real, including the problem is that Reese loudly announced his sister to have one Aisha thinks she's seen on a windy arse right in the middle bit of local footage. The crew of the school canteenboat, which led her to retaliate with including a means to make him embarrassingly smellyliving gargoyle, which led him are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to – welljoin in. Dare they side with Leila, let's just say that when Claudia defines the result woman on board, and her relative who lives as wara figure in a painting, she's not far off.and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444014978</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jennifer Gray and Hannah GeorgeB09XWSXSKY|title=Chicken Mission: The Curse of Fogsham Farm|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Life is hard for a chicken. Threat comes from anywhere you look – which is where the Elite Chicken Squad comes in. [[Chicken Mission: Danger in the Deep Dark Woods by Jennifer Gray|Last time]] they had a nasty fox 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 their blood, and all indications suggest the legend is actually a lot more real Maestro Orpheus and worrying. Even the barman – sorry, bar-chicken, Ichabod Comb, has vanished after an attack on his juice bar. What's more, it seems the mink's victim becomes a zombie soldier, fighting for her cause. Can the three plucky stalwarts of the Squad – Amy, Boo and Ruth – prove themselves a match for such evil?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>057129829X</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewWorld Clock|author=Elen Caldecott|title=Diamonds Robert Penee and Daggers - The Marsh Street MysteriesJoanne Grodzinski|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Group Frederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the ticking of pre-teens get together a clock was playing over and over in his mind. It happened every time he came to visit his grandfather. He hadn't really wanted to solve a mystery? Been therecome; after all, done that. But he's ten now and all those old clocks don't be fooledappeal to him anymore. This book stands out from ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the crowd, even though it has to be said that many of those detective stories are really very time. And time isn't good, for anything...'' And that was why he was looking at the clock beside the way bed. It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it incorporates utterly contemporary issues like economic migration, celebrity but to go and prejudice, while remaining both funny and thrilling.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408847523</amazonuk>find grandad - but where was he? And why had all the clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?
}}
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