134,839
edits
Changes
Newest Confident Readers Reviews (view source)
Revision as of 10:11, 9 August 2025
, 10:11, 9 August 2025no edit summary
[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jo Simmons1836285493|title=Super-Loud SamThe Double Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Sam Will is loud. Not just loud as in the loudest lad in classa keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and not just loud as in loudest fire alarm in schoola supportive friend. NoBut most of all, Sam he is '''LOUD''' loud. Stop traffic in the streets loud. Scary loud. Loud enough to make passing birds forget how to fly loudan aspiring writer. There's little rhyme or reason for this, just as there English is no real reason why his best friend Nina does nothing but knit all the livelong dayfavourite lesson at his school, even when walking to school. It's just something you have to accept. But what's this? Their favourite teacher has vanishedMarlowe Park, and a new one has taken at which he excels. This hasn't gone unnoticed by his place – headteacher, Mrs Mann. She's ridiculous with her weirdly large handsHowarth, her huge cardigan and even huger beehive hairdo. The biggest thing about her though is the threat she poses – has suggested to Will and his mum that he spends a couple of eternal silence in her lessons. How can Sam possibly continue afternoons a week at a different school, when even him clearing Station Road, where his throat is like a plane crash in your ears?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407152300</amazonuk>ability might be better extended.
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Christopher Myers1836282028|title=My PenThe Fighting Spirit|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4
|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=How long does it take ''Would you like to read adopt a picture bookghost? Don't worry counting the number of words' ''Young spirit, forget totalling the pagesborn 1887, and ignore how many times you may return seeks kind home to bring it off the shelfhaunt. Gentleman by birth. Good company. Gets on well with other children. What matters so much more than how long it takes to scan Jokes and shocks a page can be how long it lies speciality.'' ''If interested, place outside your home three twigs, in the memoryshape of an arrow, and what it can lead pointing toyour front door. This example, for instance, can be perused ..'' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is celebrating a decade of his wonderfully entertaining [[Rob Keeley's ''Spirits'' series in seconds, but creates Chronological Order|Spirits]] series with a new adventure that is both a vivid reboot and long-standing mental imagea continuation. Just like Doctor Who, Edward Fitzberranger, our incorrigible Victorian ghost boy, has some new companions. Ruby and will if it hits the right buttons lead Jayden respond to untold future activities. You can't judge something like this on intriguing advertisement and Edward, who has broken the value of timerules as usual and absconded from his manor house home, is adopted by them and takes up residence in....|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1423103718</amazonuk>a wardrobe!
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cath Senker and Melvyn EvansRob Keeley|title=Ancient Egypt in 30 SecondsChildish Spirits: 30 Awesome Topics for Pharaoh Fanatics Explained in Half a Minute (Children's 30 Second)10th anniversary special edition
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=EgyptAround here, we're big fans of children's author Rob Keeley. ItHe's up there with dinosaursa ball of happy positivity, he understands children, space travel and he writes for their pleasure and enjoyment, not much else that can hold a young child throughout the length to lecture or hector. The ''Childish Spirits'' series is one of their school careerhis greatest achievements. Considering It's a lot sequence of them will grow up declaring they have no interest inghost stories centring on Ellie, or even a hatred forstalwart young girl who can cope with anything the spirit world throws at her, historyand Edward, it all was relevant a long, long time ago – spoiled lordling and with Carter's finding the first spirit Ellie encounters|isbn= 1783064617}}{{Frontpage|author=Max Boucherat|title=The Last Life of King TutLori Mills|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=We meet Lori on the first evening she's tomb closing got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in , babysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on its centenary it won't her lonesome. What could possibly go away yet. wrong? There are indeed books Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and that solely concern themselves with is to log on to Voxminer, the history of our love affair with Egyptworld-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. But I guess it does boil down to it being introduced by first Lori has a fine teachertiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and then she finds something even more spooky. Whether this latest book will supplant For the human server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to enter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, and her safe place in giving us all the lessons we need remains game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to be seen.turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782402373</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jonathan MeresKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=The World of NormDungeon Runners: 8: May Contain ButsHero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Why is it Meet Kit. Like most of the only person people in Norm's his world able to think straight is Norm? His best mate Mikey is clamming up on certain subjects, and blaming mood swings on his hormones (wellit seems, he is all an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the sport where a team of thirteenwarrior, after all). His dad seems mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and race to be mourning the loss of an antique bottle of aftershaveexit, his mother thinks sorting perhaps bothering with the treasure or the recycling is a cure for boredom, big bad and his grandfather is all full of weird expressions and euphemism thingiesthe points they grant you along the way. That's not to mention his younger brothersUnfortunately for Kit, who have it in mind to use mumthe only thing he's hair straightener seen of the latest race on the dog. And inn TV equivalent is that's certainly not to mention the girl next door, who evidently one team has been incapable retired, eaten, and a new trio of thinking straight since birth, but at least questors is doing the good thing by moving houseneeded. ItPossibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he's a flipping miracle that Norm can get through ll enter as a weekend like this without anything disastrous happeningteam. Or can What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, and how could hepossibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408334062</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Piers TordayJames Sherwood Metts|title= The Wild BeyondPlanet Storyland|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers |summary= Stories Things have been a bit sticky for younger readers about the effects of climate change, known as cli-fi, are growing massively in popularity right now, as environmental disasters and the disappearance of many of the planet's animals and plants hit the news on a depressingly regular basisEarthlings. Shrinking glaciers mean rising water levels AI and the slow extinction of polar bearsautomation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and in many cities pollution and smog are so dire at times other tasks that governments are forced took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to ban cars get used to all this technological change and urge their citizens starting to stay indoors. But far from frightening children with tales think of ever-increasing destruction and deathother, Piers Torday offers them a way new ways to hopespend time, along came an awful pandemic. No matter how bad things areLife was pretty much shut down and, this trilogy tells usalong with it, all it takes is determination, and together we'll save our beautiful worldthe many daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1848668481</amazonuk>1736128426
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Caleb Krisp and John KellyTom Percival|title=Anyone But Ivy PocketThe Wrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=12-year-old maid Ivy Pocket Will's life is at difficult, in a loose end after her employer the Countess Carbunkle leaves her for South America "for no other reason than it is far enough away from Paris to ensure that I never see you againmultitude of ways." Charitably deciding that the old woman He is bullied because he has 'bonkersthe wrong shoes' on , he has the basis that anyone who doesnwrong shoes because his dad can't see how wonderful she is couldnwork and doesn't possibly be in their right mindhave enough money for even the most basic of things like food, Ivy thinks sheand his dad can'll stroll into another t work because he lost his job but finds it more difficult than she'd expect at the college, was working a cash-in- until hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the Duchess fact that his mum and dad are separated, and Will's life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a tiny amount of Trinity gives her an important mission; hope. He is good at art, and clings to deliver the moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a priceless diamond necklace to light at the granddaughter end of an estranged friend. But what should be a simple task becomes fraught with danger as Ivy faces obnoxious aristocrats, strange creatureslong, and betrayaldark tunnel.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1408858630</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Esme Kerr1805141872|title=Mischief at MidnightThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= At the slightly strange school of Knight's Haddon, there's always something intriguing going onSeventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. New girl JanetThe police are baffled, cool and confident even when arguing with but only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher's, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and Ben go on the big surprise run. But Al needs them for Edie this termone last job...'' Goodness me, and they become friends - but Anastasia feels forced 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'll find out by . Luckily for Miss Judson, the pupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, the newer student's presence. Then son of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some things happen which make Edie start to wonder if Janet day, and who thinks Miss Judson is hiding something - can she solve another mystery?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>190948900X</amazonuk>worth saving
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gareth P JonesChristopher Edge|title=Attack of the Giant Sea Spiders (Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates)Black Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It's Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a three-way battle in place that has the Slurring Mariner pubnickname of 'The Black Hole'. On the one handAll big movie fans, four Steampunk Pirates – a fine mix they're looking forward to lots of viciousexciting films, nefarious and metallic mariners who would make any passing human gulp (which many, many snacks! However, as the movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is more than you could ever say of the beer)very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. On anotherBut as they lurch from one film genre to the next, can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to the Dread Captain Inkybeardcinema, who and to their real lives?|isbn=1839942738}}{{Frontpage|author=Adam Stower|title=Murray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers |summary=Murray is married supposed to be a squid humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who lives on his head is able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and keeps , well, whatever takes his facial hair darkfancy next of the two. On the thirdBut he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a ridiculously richhyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, ridiculously French and ridiculously successful recruiter – the catflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but to just what is he taking so many seamen? into a world of frightening adventure and whiffs. Whatever This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter isexpected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, itto be honest, but he's enough to get the Pirates turned up and Inkybeard working together (ish) he'll have to solve the problem – but someone else might just be controlling the whole farrago…do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155995</amazonuk>0008561249
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Liz PichonAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=Yes! No (Maybe...) (Tom Gates)The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= WorkEli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. It's not something Tom Gates has been guilty of much before now Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – unless itfor there is a generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to work out how and the titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to hide his favourite caramel wafers, or how to deflect navigate the world in the evil grin company of his slightly goth older sistera magical beast. But it's on This has made the race anathema to the cards this time round pair – not only does his mother have but when a bad incident at the inspired idea of clearing the house out for eatery leads to a car boot sale (which causes disasters) the school confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is having an enterprise competition, where groups of students have to create something to sell on dare to their peers at a profit. But it's not like Tom wants much – of course, enter what he's a simple ladmost hates, with no real desires as such the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – he's never going the only thing to want to go hell for leather to get anything, is he?possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407143190</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Linda Chapman and Kate HindleyHelen Cooper|title=Best Friends’ Bakery: Birthdays and BiscuitsThe Taming of the Cat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Once again, mice are pitched against cat. In thiscase, principally, we have Brie the fourth story mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you're seeing a connection, they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the Best Friends’ Bakery seriesnames of cheeses. Anyway, Hannah Brie is recovering shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don't match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from her sadness at being thrown off the Junior Baker show cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the visuals on TVit. Fortunately there’s plenty going on And that story-telling will come in her town handy one night, when he feels all alone and at her mum’s bakery cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep her busythemselves alive. There’s a new beauty shop opening to bake forThis makes Brie the top dog in the mouse community, a doggy rescue centre in troublethough, and a new girl who seems intent on stopping anyone from befriending heras all the others had the chance to half-inch some cheese while the cat was distracted. How But will Hannah get on with these new challenges in her lifethe story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444011944</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Frances HardingeLauren St John|title=Cuckoo SongFinding Wonder|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Marketed as a twisted fairy tale, Roo''Cuckoo Song'' is so much mores life has become almost impossibly difficult. Hardinge’s lyrical style sets it apart from other fantasy reads. Such phrases as ''Her mum died when she was weeping spider silk'' lend it a melody all young, and now she finds herself awoken in the middle of its own. At the story’s heart is night by the sense of wanting police banging on her door to belong and connect with others. It revolves around Piers Crescent’s daughter Triss who wakes up after an accident to find tell her that her world dad has changeddropped dead on his way to the corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. She doesn’t feel that When asked what other family she has, she is herself and starts to exhibit extremely peculiar behaviour. She is ravenous and inexplicably binge eats. For some reason can only name her little sister Pen appears to hate aunt, Joni, who she knows herdad didn't think very highly of. But she has no one else, scissors act strangely around her and so off she goes to live with her parents are anxious unreliable aunt. Things continue to get worse for her to remain ill Roo, as when she and cosseted. She has memories from Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down in the time before she nearly drowned but she can’t visualise the actual incident.middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330519735</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Phil Earle Adam Baron and Sara OgilvieBenji Davies|title=Demolition DadOscar's Lion|rating=4.53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jake's dad We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a wrestlercouple of times before he has to be ready for school. Nobody knows however, because JakeBut when he enters his parents's dad also insists that Jake keeps it a secretbedroom, so that no one realises that come the weekend all he leaves behind the demolition sites that he works sees is a mahoosive male lion ontheir bed, looking sheepish, puts on his spandex suit and enters the ring as admitting that he won'Demolition Man'! t be hungry for another two days. But Jake is so proud of his dad there are benefits to having a lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the bully that his alter ego can't remain ruined a secret birthday party for longOscar the other month. And it can shapeshift, and so he sets about trying can take it to change his dadschool and it can get him out of a problem. And it's life through wonderful to have around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the world of wrestlingrules, and so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1444013866</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Meg CabotJudith Eagle|title=Notebooks of a Middle-School PrincessThe Stolen Songbird
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=The author of the hugely successful Caro''Princess Diaries'' has written s mother, a brandworld-new series for younger girlsfamous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and is now missing. Her other mother, Ronnie, telling the story is having to go up North to take care of awkward middle-school student Olivia Graceher sister who is unwell. She discovers that her father So who is actually the Prince of Genoviagoing to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, making someone Caro has heard hermother despises, she feels frustrated and confused and worried... All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to a princess! Not everyone responds well to the newshalt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady's house, along with an orphan boy, howeverAlbie, and poor Olivia who is living there too. But she soon thrown into finds herself caught up in a world mystery, as she discovers a painting of jealous bulliesa bird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, intrusive paparazzi, disgruntled relatives and all across London a whole new family fearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. Is the painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she never knew existed.somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1447280652</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rachel HamiltonTania Unsworth|title=The Case of the Exploding BrainsNowhere Island|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= You'd thinkMeet Gil. Just twelve, with one parent he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in prison futureless places that are not homes – and the other one hardly ever moving from the sofafind a home for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, that middle school student Noelle Hawkins would have far too many problems on her hands already and lets it ride him to start worrying about the occasional little explosion at the Science Museumhis future. After all, That future seems to be in jeopardy when someone steals his one bag of belongings – but that's someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the kind two directions of thing that's bound a motorway, a place inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to happen in provide for their safety and seclusion. Them, and a mute girl also finding a home there, albeit so much more successfully. Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or if this is one place littered with heaps of seriously wacky inventions, right?where life as we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147112133X</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Dave LoweHelen Peters|title= Squirrel Boy vs the Squirrel Hunter Friends and Traitors|rating=43|genre=Confident Readers |summary= Ten year old Walter Kettle England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is an ordinary boy until he eats Nancy, destined to be in service all her life it seems, like the female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a girl from a nuthoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. Then he transforms into unlikely superhero Squirrel Boy whose The girls are chalk and cheese, and if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only superpowers seem to prove it so. But something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the Lord Evesham must be a large bushy tailrum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, an ability to climb trees and run very fastnot only that, and a sudden understanding of ‘Squirrelish’ (local Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the language used by squirrels). In his second adventuregirls are wrong, we join Walter to find out whether these unusual powers will be enough to defeat the determined Squirrel Hunter and save the squirrel population in the local park.upper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1907912738</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lewis CarrollJamie Littler|title=Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition with Dame Vivienne Westwood)Arkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Somewhere the book reviewing gods have a list of those classic titles that you cannot deny or begrudge their place in literary historyTwo sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, that are soon growing to have a 150th birthday party with my name on an invitebe chalk and cheese. That means little, as I – Juniper is an eager hunter and trader in fact most people – will of course be reading them on their unbirthdayillicit magic, but including relics from prior major wars left out in the list does include Badlands. Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the current recipient religious districts of that honourArkspire, ''Alice's Adventures perhaps even to become the child in Wonderland''. It being long out line to inherit the power of copyright anyone can put together the Watcher, the closest to a 150th birthday edition for itruler the district has, but this is and one of the more distinctive efforts, for it comes with five major victors in said earlier war. Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the help status of Dame Vivienne Westwoodthe whole family. And even though I have [[Alice's Adventures But in Wonderland (150th Anniversary Edition) by Lewis Carroll and Anthony Browne|spoken before]] finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of how I don't take to the bookher own – for good, I can hereby declare this party was made all the better or for being twice as longvery, all courtesy of the presence of Lewis Carroll.very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>178487017X</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Alexander McCall Smith024162343X|title=Akimbo AdventuresStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the existence of a 'god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Not too long after the end of WWII, I didn't so much want to learn about the British army's successes (and 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 be there in the first place. Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the maturity to approach 'the problem' politely. I wish I'd had Sathnam Sanghera's ''Stolen History''.
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Thiago de Moraes
|title=Old Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I amMeet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, it must she could almost be saidthought a young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, something of an Alexander McCall Smith addictthe world changes. I have handed Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out free copies , even of his books for World Book Nightelectric cars, I met him hits not just the town the school's in Oxford at a literary festivalbut the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and I read pretty much everything he writes as he writes it! all that powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). This time it’s a children’s bookTrixie, luckily, with three stories in realises what has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from us. one volume And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all about a boy called Akimbo. He lives on the edge of a game reserve people that can steal it back – namely the characters from myth that have past form in Africastealing from the Gods, ie the semi-deities, giants, half-gods and these stories are all about his rather amazing adventures with so on known as the animals who also share his hometricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405265345</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah GarlandHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=Azzi in BetweenFinding Bear|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary=Our story begins in [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a country at war. Unfortunately you could probably put a name to it (although it isn't named) as it happens all too regularly. Our heroine is Azzilot further north than many people would venture, and finding a young girl whose life was not ''too'' affected by the war, ridiculously unexpected but every day it came delightful friendship with a little closerpolar bear – that she called Bear. Her father still worked as Back home, things on the domestic and family front are a doctor and her mother made beautiful clothes. Her grandmother wove warm blankets. Then the day came when they had to runbit advanced, but not perfect for their livesher, and escape so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was by boat and they became refugeeslast left on. The three of them For a bear doing very Bear- for Grandma had y things has been left behind - had been luckier than most for they were accepted on a temporary basis into another country (again itshot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he's not named) OK, she and her father return to the Arctic and they had hope that in a homeworld of very white and very dangerous things, although it was just she can find one roomspecific white and dangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806511</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarah GarlandSimon Fox|title=Eddie's Tent and How to go CampingDeadlock|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 go4. 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. It'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 Slipcase|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ThomasLate one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the force, if you don't knowand then suddenly rings Archie, is demanding he fetch something from a little Tank Enginesecret place, who is very quick to build up a head of steam and move his coaches and trucks around join him on the train yards and networks he works onrun. That does mean that he has They get together, but barely begin to be shown up by smell the larger, slower engines whiff of Southern trains when he continually blows his whistle to disturb their restthe father is arrested, and can even forget leaving Archie on the late express to bring any carriages with him when he's pulling a trainBrighton, but he does mean well. He's toting a warm, feisty little charactertin his father was determined to keep away from his colleagues, and was probably always bound to become a bit the bearer of a favourite with warm, feisty young readers, especially those brought up with an eye to the romance whole heap of the railways. But he wasn't the first we met in the series that in public shorthand at least bears his namequestions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405277270</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Cathy HopkinsCath Howe|title=Mum Never Did Learn to Knock|rating=4|genre=Dyslexia Friendly|summary=#People are worrying about Emily: her Dad and the staff at school are all worried that she's spending a lot of time talking to her Mum. You might think that there's nothing wrong with that - in fact that it's entirely commendable and young people ought to spend more time talking to their parents - but Emily's Mum died a few months ago. Emily has reached the stage of ''hiding'' the fact that Mum appears to her in very real form, perhaps just a little bit ''ghostly'', but then you wouldn't expect her to look just like she was when she was alive, now would you? At school she's sent to see a counsellor, but it doesn't go quite the way that the counsellor was expecting... particularly when Emily asked where people go when they die and the ultimate 'what comes after space?'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781124957</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Ally Kennen|title=How to Speak Spook (and Stay Alive)My Life on Fire
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= Everybody knows if you Ren's family home is destroyed in a fire. She, her parents, and her little brother lose everything. She doesn't have a any of her clothes, or any of her special gift like seeing through walls little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and now she is living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the ability foods they normally eat. When she goes back to speak giraffe you have school she discovers that the class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to keep it secretthem and show who they are as a person. If you don't But Ren has nothing to put in a box, men in dark suits and wrap-around shades take you away so she finds herself starting to experiment on yousteal things. (And if it's the wall thing Small things, things that people might not really miss, girls will assume you're spying on them not when they get changed for PE and beat you uphave so much already.) But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407148753</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Eric ColossalRob Keeley|title=Rutabaga the Adventure Chef: Book 1The Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet the latest adventurer Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to scour the land. He has a talent for finding the obscure and seeking out the rare, and surviving all the undignified fates the world has in store. He even has a magical companion. He will be open short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to any challenge set upon himeleven new tales, from locating dragon-smiting swords each as fun to besting the largest, most locally loved, rival. He is Rutabaga, and he is, of course, a chefread as his previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1419715976</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tom McLaughlin Laura Noakes|title=The Accidental Prime Minister |rating=3|genre=Confident Readers |summary=What would happen if a shy, slightly clumsy, 12 year old boy accidently found himself in the top job, living in Number Ten and making decisions for the country as Prime Minister? This is the premise behind Tom McLaughlin’s debut middle grade novel and the answer is simple – there’d be national ‘Fancy Dress Friday’ every week (on Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Thursday), high fives would be used instead of handshakes, jelly would be available on the NHS, and one day every month the pupils would get to be the teachers. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192737740</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Derek Keilty and Jonny Duddle|title= Will Gallows and the Wolfer's Deadly MagicStar
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Will Gallows is Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just a week away from being a fully-fledged member of Cos to her friends. The practice in the Sky Cavalry – and his talking, winged horse home she lives in is even more keen on hitting for the girls to just be named by the passing out ceremony on number they correspond to in the nose. But things arenledger, and they't re all going to go their way Unfortunates – Mid-Rock City has received a blackmail noteyoung people with disabilities, extorting uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But Cosima bears the town out of tag as a lot of gold for threat of a 'death mace'surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, of which nobody has as the first ever heardinmate, and unique in having no known family in the outside world. Certain factors all point During a daring escapade to Will being steal some posh cakes from the best cadet kitchen one afternoon, she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to take part in nixing the handover want to adopt all the criminal, not least of which is girls for 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 gearInstitute. And if that isn't bad enoughBut why, Will's grandma and great-uncle have just turned up for a pleasant trip based around his graduation…what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has so little link with?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1783440597</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kate PankhurstAlice M Ross|title= Mariella Mystery Investigates: A Kitty Calamity The Nowhere Thief|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 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=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Merlin At last there is both ordinary new stock in the impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and specialher mother run in a seaside town. He is living a quiet Elsbeth knows this because she has stolen it. She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, ordinary life with his father in his quietbecause she has the ability to leave this world, ordinary village. Murrow is a fisherman and he use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and his son have a great relationship, supportive the buildings are generally empty of humans and lovingripe for plunder. So far With eviction imminent, so ordinary, rightcan Elsbeth nab anything to actually generate custom at the shop? But Merlin isn't like the other boys. While they are raucous and social Well yes, Merlin is quiet and contemplative. His best friend isn't another boy; it's Happenstancethe answer, his cat. Murrow and Merlin might not realise it but the reader will - there's something special about Merlin.fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1505689740</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=BarrouxNatasha Farrant|title=Where's the Elephant?The Rescue of Ravenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=ImagineThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of ''Voyage of the Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, dear readerin the North of England, where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a poor girl who complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is never allowed to play outside like the other children. Insteadthere with her Uncle Leo, she has to spend her day performing horrid choresand Raffy is there with his mum, like sweeping and they are living together as a family. They have grown up mouse-droppings swimming in the creepycove, roaming through the trees, dark cellar completely at one with all of the nature around the house and shooing away loving every inch of the cockroaches in place. But now the kitchen. So begins a long list of woes for shy Elspeth Harthouse is under threat, who toils tirelessly during as Leo is under pressure from his other two brothers to sell the day property to a developer as it's becoming more and spends her nights sleeping in a dustymore expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to live, but if they'll even be together, cramped wardrobeand if Ravenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847155952</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sophie CleverlyRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Scarlet and Ivy Secret Beast Club: The Lost TwinUnicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=IvyJayden's twin sister Scarlet had been nose is forever in a book, which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the strong willed, fearless one whilst Ivy, on phoenixes and unicorns of the other handworld, was timid and shyfor example. Following Scarlet's sudden death Ivy Aisha is forced addicted to take her twinnew tablet, where she can see videos of anything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there's place at themselves, exploring the sinister Rockwood Boarding School for girls outside world of Hackney, London. But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and once there she finds herself thrust into with a past involving Jayden's cousin, they find a mystery she struggles to solvemagical world they never knew existed. Her only hope is to behave as Scarlet would have done For many of those mythological creatures are real, so with including the help one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of her new friendlocal footage. The crew of the boat, Ariadneincluding a living gargoyle, Ivy attempts to conquer her fears are tasked with saving the rare critters – and stand up the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to join in. Dare they side with Leila, the wicked Miss Fox woman on board, and discover what really happened to her sister.relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007589182</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sam WatkinsB09XWSXSKY|title=Creature TeacherMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Jake’s nervous about starting his new school. His class teacher, Mr HydeFrederick (or Fred, is new too butnever Freddy, unlike Jakeplease) couldn't sleep. A tune, rather like the ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his mind. It happened every time he has a reason came to be worriedvisit his grandfather. Although class 5b quickly decide that Mr Hyde is the best teacher they’ve ever had He hadn't really wanted to come; after all, they also discover a problem – whenever he experiences a strong emotion Mr Hyde starts to glow 's ten now and transforms into a naughty, farting, biscuit-loving creature. Suddenly their teacher is wrecking the classroom and they need to work together to find a way all those old clocks don't appeal to turn the creature back into their teacher before their evil headmistress finds outhim anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192742655</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Kris Humphrey|title=A Whisper of Wolves|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Alice ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is a Whisperer, able to communicate with her animal companion, Storm tell the wolftime. And time isn't good for anything... It's a gift ' And that inspires awe and fear in was why he was looking at the clock beside the villagers she servesbed. A Whisperer is a guardian of the wilds, protector of nature, and It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the clock chimed only ones able six times. There was nothing for it but to fight back against go and find grandad - but where was he? And why had all the demonic Narlaw.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847155960</amazonuk>clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?
}}
Move on to [[Newest Cookery Reviews]]