By Lesley Parr (published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
‘One boy, I believe,’ Mr Bevan says.
One.
I think I might be really sick, properly sick, all over my shoes sick. I just want to go home.
I’m gripping Ronnie’s shoulder so tight I must be hurting him but he’s just watching her. Then the woman called Mrs Thomas looks at me and I get the same smile.
‘I’ve changed my mind, Ceri,’ she says. ‘We can make room for two.’
Continue reading “The Valley of Lost Secrets | Book Review”
By Katya Balen, with illustrations by Angela Harding (published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
She wanted me to go to school and spend my weekends with her far away, but then when would I ever be wild and free and climb trees and scavenge for treasure and tell stories by a fire?
I don’t want her.
She’s not wild like we are.
Continue reading “October, October | Book Review”
By Gill Lewis (published by Oxford University Press)
Semira looked behind her as if she felt someone was watching her. A diary was personal wasn’t it? Private?
But surely if it had been written over a hundred years ago, the writer of the diary would be dead by now.
It wouldn’t matter if she read some of it.
Would it?
Continue reading “The Closest Thing to Flying | Book Review”
By Jennifer Bell (Walker Books)
She swallowed and marched up to a crewwoman polishing one of the brass telescopes. Arthur noticed a glowing V tattooed on her chin, instead of a T, like the male crew members. “Excuse me, can we please leave this Wonderscape game? We don’t want to take part; we just want to go home.”
Continue reading “Wonderscape | Book Review”
Welcome to the third entry into our Lockdown Library series! Although some children are back in school, we know that there are plenty who are still at home. So we’ve gone through our collection and found some wonderful picture books that are great for keeping the spirits up!
Continue reading “Lynda’s Lockdown Library 3 | Picture Book Reviews”
Welcome to the second entry in our Lockdown Library! This one is aimed at slightly older children than part 1 (which you can see here), though younger children will likely still enjoy reading along too!
Continue reading “Lynda’s Lockdown Library 2 | Book Reviews”
While we’re spending time safe in lockdown, we’ve definitely found ourselves reading more! Here’s a handful of books we’ve finished recently, that we think would be perfect for primary-aged readers.
Continue reading “Lynda’s Lockdown Library 1 | Book Reviews”
By Inky Willis (published by Hachette Children’s Group)
Dear Molly,
I is Notes! Notes is me!
Bestest wishes
From Notes
By Nizrana Farook (Nosy Crow)
‘She wrapped her legs around the top of the pillar, splayed on the ceiling like a gecko, hands gripping the roof gutter for support.
She stretched to the maximum, her arm muscles thrumming with the strain. The servant girl was right underneath…’
Continue reading “The Girl Who Stole an Elephant | Book Review”
By Hilary McKay (Macmillan Children’s Books)
Salt spray had twisted her already curly black hair into tight salty springs. They blew into her eyes and stung. She pushed them aside, hardly noticing, and read deeper and deeper.
Continue reading “The Time of Green Magic | Book Review”