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[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]] __NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Holly Webb1836285493|title=The Truffle MouseDouble Life of a Wheelchair User|author=Rob Keeley|rating=4.5

|summary=Alice Will is going through a tough time right now. Even though her mum keen player of video games, a conscientious student, a slightly annoying brother and dad split up two years ago, she'd always hoped that they would eventually get back togethera supportive friend. But when dad introduced his new girlfriend and her daughter and announced that they would be moving inmost of all, everything changed. School isn't any better, eitherhe is an aspiring writer. She's always getting told off in class and English is jealous of her best friend Lucyhis favourite lesson at his school, who seems to have the perfect familyMarlowe Park, but doesnand one at which he excels. This hasn't appreciate it. When mum sees how withdrawn Alice has becomegone unnoticed by his headteacher, Mrs Howarth, and she takes her has suggested to the pet shop to buy Will and his mum that he spends a couple of afternoons a hamster to take her mind off things. However, it's not week at a hamster that catches Alice's eyedifferent school, but a sweet little mouseStation Road, with fur like cocoa powderwhere his ability might be better extended. The trouble is, mum is terrified of mice!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407144863</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre1836282028|title=Pugs of the Frozen North The Fighting Spirit|author=Rob Keeley

|genre=Confident Readers |summary= When Shen finds himself stranded in the middle of ''Would you like to adopt a frozen seaghost?'' ''Young spirit, born 1887, seeks kind home to haunt. Gentleman by birth. Good company. Gets on well with 66 shivering pugs for company other children. Jokes and no foodshocks a speciality.'' ''If interested, place outside your home three twigs, in the shape of an arrow, he’s desperate pointing to find helpyour front door.. Little does he suspect that this .'' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is just the start celebrating a decade of their adventure his wonderfully entertaining [[Rob Keeley's ''Spirits'' series in the frozen north: Chronological Order|Spirits]] series with his a new friend Sikaadventure that is both a reboot and a continuation. Just like Doctor Who, and the pugs pulling their sledEdward Fitzberranger, our incorrigible Victorian ghost boy, he’s suddenly part of a race to the top of the worldhas some new companions. Will they make it in time Ruby and Jayden respond to meet this intriguing advertisement and Edward, who has broken the Snowfather or will one of the other contestants beat rules as usual and absconded from his manor house home, is adopted by them to it?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192734571</amazonuk>and takes up residence in.... a wardrobe!

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Laura WoodRob Keeley|title=Poppy Pym and the Pharaoh's Curse Childish Spirits: 10th anniversary special edition

|summary= Poppy Pym is leaving the only home sheAround here, we're big fans of children's ever known (in Madame Pymauthor Rob Keeley. He's Spectacular Travelling Circus) to become a boarding school student at Saint Smithen's School. Andball of happy positivity, if starting school for the first time at age 11 isn't enoughhe understands children, Poppy and her new friends – Kip he writes for their pleasure and Ingrid – find themselves in the middle enjoyment, not to lecture or hector.  The ''Childish Spirits'' series is one of a mysteryhis greatest achievements. Dangerous accidents start to occur at Saint SmithenIt's the moment a temporary exhibition sequence of Egyptian artefacts enter the school. While everyone else attributes these to the Pharaoh's curseghost stories centring on Ellie, Poppy and her friends are determined to discover a stalwart young girl who is really causing can cope with anything the accidents. Thenspirit world throws at her, when the priceless ruby at the heart of the collection is stolenand Edward, their investigation broadens as they try to uncover a spoiled lordling and the thief. first spirit Ellie encounters|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1407158546</amazonuk>1783064617

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Kevin SandsMax Boucherat|title= The Blackthorn Key|rating= 5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Seventeenth century England isn't always a comfortable place to live. Apart from the obvious differences from the modern day – no National Health Service, no laws to protect orphans like Christopher from cruelty and exploitation, and a constant foul smell from poor sanitation - fear and suspicion are a daily fact of life. In 1665 Charles II has been back on the throne for several years, but not everyone is happy about his extravagant and luxurious life-style, even among those who found the Puritan rules Last Life of Cromwell's time excessively strict. There are spies everywhere, and rumours of conspiracies fill the streets. It's a time to keep your head down and avoid attention from the authorities.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>014136064X</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Karen McCombie|title=Honey and MeLori Mills

|genre=Dyslexia FriendlyConfident Readers|summary=Most girls starting out Brook City School are hoping for something new and differentWe meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to pop in, babysitter poorly, mother at work, but Kirsten just wants things to be ''normal''an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. Even good things seem to come with What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a sting in the tail and worst of allblanket fort, she has one main intention, Mum and Dad are really not getting that is to log onto Voxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a hit in Lori's world. In fact Kirsten is happiest at school But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, and does all the after-school activities then she can manage just to keep away from home for as long as she canfinds something even more spooky. Her elder brother, Finn, who's at sixth form college, is struggling too: what used For the server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able to be thought enter shows signs of as ''cheeky'' at school has turned into ''disruptive''tampering. When things get really bad Kirsten is suddenly reminded of malevolent eyes spark up on her old friend Honey phone screen, and wonders if she can get her safe place in touch with her.the game has been doctored – well, where is a girl to turn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781124752</amazonuk>0008666482

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip K DickKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Nick and the GlimmungDungeon Runners: Hero Trial

|summary=Meet NickKit. He lives on a future EarthLike most of the people in his world, where multiple large classrooms are taught by just one holographic teacherit seems, which might sound impractical but can actually help with advice when you declare to he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the class that you are breaking the law. Nick, you see, has sport where a pet catteam of warrior, mage and in this massively overhealer enter specially prepared, century-populated old, magical mazes, and under-resourced worldrace to the exit, pets are illegal. There's a simple solution – wait for perhaps bothering with the treasure or the ''anti-pet man'' to turn up with his weaponry big bad and armour and dispose of it, but the family have decided to take points they grant you along the other way out – emigrate to an entirely different world. Hence they embark on Unfortunately for Kit, the trip to be pioneer farmers on Plowmanonly thing he's Planetseen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has been retired, even when they're forewarned of eaten, and a host new trio of different and most unusual animals already resident therequestors is needed. That advice still doesn't really prepare them Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to the goading from the battle whose crossfire token bully of his world and stumbled into declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in which they immediately get caught…actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>057513299X</amazonuk>1839945184

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Saviour Pirotta and Paul HessJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Ghosts Who Danced and other spooky storiesPlanet Storyland|rating=4.5

|summary=Ghosts are all over Things have been a bit sticky for the world, don't you knowEarthlings. I don't know of any as of yet but I dare say that people AI and automation have fixed ghost stories to be set on Antarctica; been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're certainly common on all the paid to do and other continentstasks that took time to accomplish. York has 500 spectres Just as they were beginning to get used to itself allegedly, all corners this technological change and starting to think of all civilisations claim other, new ways to know of spirit world entities – spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and people even go as far as being , along with it, all the many daily social interactions on which they depend so undignified they see them in Auschwitz. The lesson from this excellently put-together book is that ghosts are worldwide, and any one from just about anywhere can have a very interesting story to tellheavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847804357</amazonuk>1736128426

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Anna Claybourne and TillyTom Percival|title= Where's Will?The Wrong Shoes|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident Readers|summary= Taking 10 Will's life is difficult, in a multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'the best known storieswrong shoes', this book neatly summarises he has the plots wrong shoes because his dad can't work and highlights doesn't have enough money for even the must-know elements most basic of each. Thatthings like food, and his dad can's just t work because he lost his job at the startcollege, thoughwas working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, because after you've read whatand Will's going onlife seems bleak in every direction. And yet, you get to see it in another formhe still has a tiny amount of hope. Each story He is followed by an illustrated two page spreadgood at art, highly detailed and bursting with activity and characters. Your mission, should you choose clings to accept itthe moments of joy when he is drawing, is to find that feel like a light at the stars end of the play among the many other people on the pagea long, dark tunnel. They're hidden, but can you find them?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782402284</amazonuk>1398527122

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Ben Davis1805141872|title=Danny DreadThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley|rating=34.5

|summary=Meet Danny Dread. He's a pupil at Demento's Academy for Young Evil Geniuses, where classes range from bank robbery Seventeen banks and 'applied superhero torture' to creating flying craft and machines with which to do the most dastardly deedsa jeweller’s have been raided. The police are baffled, and where the head mistress is but only too pleased to see bullying happening in Ben knows the corridors. Now meet Mynah Boy truth – freshly costumedhis Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a safecracker! With police and talented inasmuch as he can mimic lots of people her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, Miss Judson and thingsBen go on the run. But Al needs them for one last job... He might not be the world's best superhero, but neither is Danny Dread the world's best villain – the Dread family have slowly been getting worse at being evil Goodness me, and Danny that Miss Judson is so hopeless he cana terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a bad 't even kill a fly. You might think theyun like Al? We'll be set up find out. Luckily for Miss Judson, the most clumsypupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, calamitous adventure against each otherthe son of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, until you learn that actually they're one and same lad – but things will still get clumsy and calamitous enough…|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192742639</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving

{{newreviewplainFrontpage|author=Christopher Edge|title=Thunderbirds are Go Official GuideBlack Hole Cinema Club

|summary=It's time to admit Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that I am old. I remember has the first series nickname of 'The Black Hole'Thunderbirds. All big movie fans, they'' from Saturday morning kids' cinema – an episode re looking forward to lots of thatexciting films, then a second-run filmand many, both for a quid. many snacks! They were only ten years old or so thenHowever, but at least that proved as the franchise was durable. Nothing did that quite as muchmovie starts, however, as the news a couple of years ago they very quickly realise that the Anderson estate was to allow a CG updating, bringing a something about this new generation of people to the massed audience. Amid the usual worries about it losing everything that made it specialfilm format is very different, it actually did pretty well when it aired in 2015 – and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even with a breakfast time transmission slotimagine. This small(ish) format hardback is, bar the annual, the very first chance But as they lurch from one film genre to look at an official book concerning the seriesnext, and inasmuch as it inspired me can they figure out what on earth is going on? Will they ever get back to research the returncinema, and certainly accept it as looking a worthy addition to the canon, it succeeds on all fronts.their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1471124991</amazonuk>1839942738

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Roland Chambers Adam Stower|title=Murray and Ella OkstadBun|rating=4.5|titlegenre=Confident Readers |summary=Nelly Murray is supposed to be a humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the Quest for Captain Peabodycatflap they both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a world of frightening adventure and whiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|isbn=0008561249}}{{Frontpage|author=Alex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=The Glorious Race of Magical Beasts|rating=54

|summary=Nelly's fatherEli is a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, Captain Peabodyand in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his lovely gran, sailed away when she was too – for there is a babygeneration missing in the family. He remembered her birthday once or twice sending her A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to the titular race, a gift globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of painted snails and an egg which hatched into a visionary turtlemagical beast. This turtle, Columbus, has grown made the race anathema to become Nelly's closest friend and companion as her mother sits silently knitting and nothing more has been heard from her father. There may be a lesson about parental inadequacy and unreliability here the pair – but if so it's understated. I have rarely met when a less angst-ridden heroine than Nelly though she can give bad incident at the eatery leads to a firm lecture about keeping one's promisesconfession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192742698</amazonuk>0571382231

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Clive Gifford and Professor Anil SethHelen Cooper|title=Brain Twisters: The Science Taming of Thinking and Feelingthe Cat

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Meet the brainOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. We all In this case, principally, we have one. We all use it (Brie the mouse, up against Gorgonzola the cat – and by in case you'it' I mean re seeing a heck of connection, they live in a lot more cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to be the names of it than cheeses. Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and, if you must, mous-tracised, for the 10% of urban myth) every second of way his habits don't match the dayother mice he lives with. We engage with different parts of They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it as art and makes stories based on the visuals on it for balance, catching a ball, memorising a list of moves . And that story-telling will come in controlling a video game characterhandy one night, or understanding things ranging from written instruction to body languagewhen he feels all alone and cast out. It's such a vital part of the body, taking up 20% of our glucose fuel intake almost as well as of oxygen, that understanding of it cannot come at too young an ageif there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to keep themselves alive. But This makes Brie the top dog in this varied and complex bookthe mouse community, looking at a varied and complex subjectthough, I do wonder if as all the others had the chance to half-inch some cheese while the right approach has been taken at all timescat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782402047</amazonuk>0571376010

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jenny Broom and Kristjana S WilliamsLauren St John|title=The Finding Wonder Garden: Wander through the world's wildest habitats and discover more than 80 amazing animals

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Is it any wonder 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 this book calls her dad has dropped dead on his way to the outside world The Wonder Garden? corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. I know things in fiction booksWhen asked what other family she has, on TV and in games she can be fabulousonly name her aunt, Joni, but can they compete – really – with what nature who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of. But she has presented? You only need a gate through which to gono one else, and a willingness so off she goes to explorelive with her unreliable aunt. This book provides those gates – there they areThings continue to get worse for Roo, as when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, shining luxuriously on it breaks down in the cover middle of this jumbo-sized hardback. nowhere and then bursts into flames! And in five easy-Poor Roo!|isbn=0571376169}}{{Frontpage|author=Adam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Oscar's Lion|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to-take stepshave his mother – or father, the rest but mother is more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of the book provides times before he has to be ready for that explorationschool. But when he enters his parents' bedroom, all he sees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, taking us down south in Amazonialooking sheepish, down below 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 waters of bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the Great Barrier Reefother month. And it can shapeshift, and up – so he can take it to deserts school and mountains, via Germany's own Black Forestit can get him out of a problem. And it's wonderful to have around the trip is nothing if house – not spectacular to look atlimiting his biscuit intake, being much more lax about the rules, and so on. OK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806473</amazonuk>0008596751

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Martin Haake and Georgia CherryJudith Eagle|title=City Atlas: Discover the world with 30 city mapsThe Stolen Songbird

|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=ItCaro's not every time I mention the feel of the book I'm reviewingmother, but this time it's worth a mention. This volume world-famous whistler, has been lavishly presented in a roughened card cover, as opposed failed to the gloss of others in this format return home from this publisher, her recent work trip abroad and so looks and feels like an old stamp catalogueis now missing. The title image Her other mother, Ronnie, is indeed a stamp, stuck on the centre having to go up North to take care of the coverher sister who is unwell. And just as all stamps the world over are practically the same yet completely different in designSo who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, someone Caro has heard her mother despises, so are the world's citiesshe feels frustrated and confused and worried. The point 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 book is to bring the common elements as well as the unique features of all the worldstaid old Victorian lady's capitals to the forehouse, along with an orphan boy, Albie, to show that while who is living there too. But she soon finds herself caught up in a city may be mystery, as she discovers a city is painting of a citybird hidden away inside her mum's old suitcase, their constant variety is what makes each and every one worth all across London a visitfearsome gang called the Snakes are thieving artworks and terrorising people. With that being on Is the costly side, this is a decent enough substitute.painting somehow linked to the gang? And what has happened to Caro's mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847806481</amazonuk>0571363148

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Shannon Hale, Dean Hale and LeUyen PhamTania Unsworth|title=The Princess in BlackNowhere Island

|genre=Emerging Confident Readers|summary=Princess Magnolia has Meet Gil. Just twelve, he is so determined to escape the care system – the system that constantly puts him in futureless places that are not homes – and find a double lifehome for himself. On one hand she has a perfectly primHe is en route to yet another fosterer, when he jumps into an anonymous car, proper and pink castle turret lets it ride him to live 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 other she has two directions of a motorway, a secret escape tunnelplace inaccessible and definitely ignored enough to provide for their safety and seclusion. On her head she has Them, and a mute girl also finding a tiarahome there, on her finger a monster alarmalbeit so much more successfully. Her life Over a few weeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, or if this is also full of threats – on one side a horridplace where life as we would want it just would not work…|isbn=1804540080}}{{Frontpage|author=Helen Peters|title=Friends and Traitors|rating=3|genre=Confident Readers|summary=England, blueWW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One is Nancy, goat-eating beastiedestined to be in service all her life it seems, on like the female generations before her. The other is Sidney, a prim girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-paths. The girls are chalk and cheese, and proper visitor intent on finding out if we hadn't guessed that then their behaviour with each other over their first encounters would only prove it so. But something is amiss, and first separately and then in combination they realise the perfect Princess Lord Evesham must be a rum 'un. Midnight deliveries are received under cover of secrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and not only that, a local Spitfire factory has any secretsbeen attacked. Well we know she hasBut surely the girls are wrong, but will they be discovered – and which is the greater threatupper class could never be so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0763678880</amazonuk>1788004647

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jacqueline WilsonJamie Littler|title=KatyArkspire

|summary= Eleven year-old Katy Carr is a tomboy whoTwo sisters, Juniper and Elodie, despite her best intentionsborn fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and cheese. Juniper is always getting into trouble. Lively an eager hunter and adventuroustrader in illicit magic, Katy including relics from prior major wars left out in the Badlands. Elodie is very much intent on getting closer to power in one of the leader religious districts of her five younger brothers and sisters until an accident damages her spine and she finds herself confined Arkspire, perhaps even to a wheelchair. Suddenly Katy's life is turned upside down and she has become the child in line to learn inherit the power of the most basic things all over againWatcher, the closest to redefine her role in a ruler the familydistrict has, and find a new meaning one of the five major victors in said earlier war. Being trained in lifethe magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the whole family. But in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of her own – for good, or for very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141353961</amazonuk>0241586143

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Ursula Dubosarsky024162343X|title=The Red ShoeStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera

|summary=They may be quite far apart, but three houses in a row in the rural suburbs of 1950s Sydney contain some incredibly unusual peopleMeet Trixie. In oneForever getting into scrapes, a solitary old man of very few words, shuffling to larks and adventures involving flooding the end of his daysschool aircon with fart powder, but brandishing she could almost be thought a Japanese sword heyoung goddess of nuisance. But just when she's purloined after WWIIbeing told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, and with a gun in the corner of his loungeworld changes. In the middleSuddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a family power-out, even of fiveelectric cars, with a father figure suffering from PTSD due to hits not just the town the same war, a mother feeling friendless and alone school's in but the isolated time and locationentire planet (apart from mobile phones, and their three daughters – one of whom has given up on school after an alleged nervous breakdown, the middle one who barely speaks more than all that powers the neighbour, and MatildaInternet, just for our key interestconvenience's sake). Trixie, who likes the idea of spiesluckily, and realises what has an imaginary friend who came out happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of the radiopower from us. The third house however might be where And so she begins her epic quest, to gather all the most interesting people live that can steal it back – after all, it had been empty, but now namely the luxurious building is home to several shady men characters from myth that have past form in suitsstealing from the Gods, who turned up out of ie the blue in luxury carssemi-deities, giants, half-gods and with at least one gun of their own…so on known as the tricksters.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406358746</amazonuk>178845295X

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Chris ColferHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=The Land of Stories: Beyond the KingdomsFinding Bear

|summary=The last [[The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning Last Bear by Chris ColferHannah Gold|Land of StoriesLast time]] book left readers , April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and finding a cliffhanger ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a shock revelation about the identity of the antagonistpolar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, things on the villainous 'Masked Man'. Since thendomestic and family front are a bit advanced, fansbut not perfect for her, myself included, have been waiting desperately for the next book in the series in order to see how our twin heroes Alex and Conner deal with this surprising twist in so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the taleislands Bear was last left on. The waiting is over; the new book is here For a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and ready wounded. Desperate to transport us once again make sure he's OK, she and her father return to the magical Land Arctic and hope that in a world of Stories..very white and very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and dangerous thing – and that the friendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0316339385</amazonuk>0008582017

{{newreviewFrontpage|author= Catherine StorrSimon Fox|title= Clever Polly and the Stupid WolfDeadlock|rating= 4.5|genre= Emerging Confident Readers|summary= Polly opens Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the door one day to find force, and then suddenly rings Archie, demanding he fetch something from a large black wolf standing secret place, and join him on the doorsteprun. With no preamble whatsoever They get together, not even a cursory hellobut barely begin to smell the whiff of Southern trains when the father is arrested, leaving Archie on the wolf informs Polly that he intends late express to Brighton, toting a tin his father was determined to eat her up. Incredibly Polly invites the wolf into her home keep away from his colleagues, and even into the kitchen! What can she be thinking bearer of a whole heap of? Well, young Polly questions.|isbn=1839944420}}{{Frontpage|author=Cath Howe|title=My Life on Fire|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Ren's family home is cleverdestroyed in a fire. She, resourcefulher parents, independent and charmingher little brother lose everything. The wolf is a wolf She doesn't have any of her clothes, or any of very her special little brain. Therefore it is not long before knick-knacks from her cupboard, and now she is able to outwit living at her grandmother's house where they can't touch anything, or do anything, or even eat the wolf and send him packingfoods they normally eat. This first story is very short but sets When she goes back to school she discovers that the scene for the ongoing battle class are doing a special art project, creating boxes of wits between Polly their lives, to display things that are important to them and the wolf that will continue for the remaining twelve short stories show who they are as a person. But Ren has nothing to put in this charming a box, and entertaining bookso she finds herself starting to steal things. Small things, things that people might not really miss, not when they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141360232</amazonuk>1839942835

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rupert WallisRob Keeley|title=All Sorts of PossibleThe Boy Who Disappeared and Other Stories|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is back with a return to the short story format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to eleven new tales, each as fun to read as his previous offerings.|isbn= B0BVW69N1G}}{{Frontpage|author=Laura Noakes|title=Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Meet Number One. Or rather, Cosima Unfortunate. Or rather, just Cos to her friends. The practice in the home she lives in is for the girls to just be named by the number they correspond to in the ledger, and they're all Unfortunates – young people with disabilities, uncommon mentalities or suchlike that Victorian society frowns greatly upon. But Cosima bears the tag as a surname because nothing else seems to be known about where she came from, as the first ever inmate, and unique in having no known family in the outside world. During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, she 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 what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the past she has so little link with?|isbn=0008579059}}{{Frontpage|author=Alice M Ross|title=The Nowhere Thief

|genre=TeensConfident Readers|summary=''When 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. She also knows she should be free from worries about being found out, because she has the ability to leave this world, and use an unworldly portal of kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, where the sea levels are rising dramatically and the sinkhole openedbuildings are generally empty of humans and ripe for plunder. With eviction imminent, there was no time can Elsbeth nab anything to break or turn actually generate custom at the wheelshop? Well yes, and is the answer, but the old green Land Rover was snatched off fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|isbn=1839943769}}{{Frontpage|author=Natasha Farrant|title=The Rescue of Ravenwood|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=This story is another excellent adventure from the dirt road over author of ''Voyage of the smoking rim.Sparrowhawk'' Somehow. Ravenwood is an old house, in the North of England, Daniel makes it out where Bea and Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of the sinkhole a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and emerges to safety Raffy is there with just his mum, and they are living together as a few scratches family. They have grown up swimming in the cove, roaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and bruisesloving every inch of the place. But now the house is under threat, as Leo is under pressure from his father isnother two brothers to sell the property to a developer as it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to live, but if they't so luckyll even be together, and if Ravenwood itself will be torn down. While |isbn=0571348785}}{{Frontpage|author=Robin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Jayden's nose is forever in a book, which means he lies in hospital in an induced coma due to knows a severe brain injurylot about mythological creatures – the phoenixes and unicorns of the world, Daniel for example. Aisha is released into the care addicted to her new tablet, where she can see videos of his auntanything that might be out there. The problem, as their mothers see it, a woman he has is that they are never met. There had been a family falling 'out after Danielthere's mother died themselves, exploring the outside world of Hackney, London. But when he was just a babynarrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and since then itwith a past involving Jayden's just been Daniel and his dadcousin, they find a magical world they never knew existed. Although his aunt seems nice enough For many of those mythological creatures are real, Daniel finds it difficult to trust her or open up to her... ... and thereincluding the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a lot bit of local footage. The crew of the boat, including a living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the rare critters – and the kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to open up aboutjoin in. Dare they side with Leila, the woman on board, and her relative who lives as a figure in a painting, and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>147114366X</amazonuk>0241573483

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=B09XWSXSKY|title=Fuzzy MudMaestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Louis SacharRobert Penee and Joanne Grodzinski

|summary=Tamaya isnFrederick (or Fred, but never Freddy, please) couldn't allowed to walk home from school on her ownsleep. And Tamaya doesn't A tune, rather like the ticking of a clock was playing over and over in his mind. It happened every time he came to break any rulesvisit his grandfather. So when walking partner Marshall insists on taking a "shortcut" through the woods one day, she goes with him, even though she isn He hadn't really supposed wanted to walk through the woods. Unbeknownst to Tamaya, Marshall has chosen the route in order to avoid school bully Chad, who has threatened him with a reckoning. A reckoning for nothing at come; after all - but you know, thathe's how school bullies workten now and all those old clocks don't appeal to him anymore.

But lying in ''Who needs old clocks anyway? All they do is tell the woods is an even greater threat than Chadtime. And time isn't good for anything...''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408864746</amazonuk>And that was why he was looking at the clock beside the bed. It was nearly twelve o'clock but at midnight the clock chimed only six times. There was nothing for it but to go and find grandad - but where was he? And why had all the clocks stopped at twelve o'clock?