I absolutely adore this crafty, sassy, witty, brave new mystery solving heroine - the one and only, the marvellous, the unforgettable, Mizzy. She’s the newest super-sleuth on the block! Readers don’t just follow Mizzy’s tangled family mystery - they also experience life through her eyes as a young person with Down Syndrome.

This is an epic, exciting modern day fantasy adventure! Readers are drawn into blind protagonist schoolgirl, twelve year old Ella’s world - she’s kind, thoughtful, brave, clever and determined. She’s also incredibly optimistic. Plus, she’s about to save the world!

Fans of a murder mystery, fans of a spine-chilling supernatural thriller, fans of a girls boarding school drama, super fans of Phil Hickes’s ‘Aveline Jones’ series - your desperate wait for what to read next is over! 

Set in an eerie, fog-drenched house in England, Lucy Strange’s newest novella explores wartime grief and loneliness in a Victorian historical setting. Published by Barrington Stoke for ages 9+ (with a reading age of 8+), this dyslexia-friendly book delivers a supernatural tale with an unexpected twist.

Most children will never experience being a foster family or being a foster child. Having this giggly at the same time as serious illustrated fiction adventure series accessible for young readers (and teachers, parents, and carers) is absolutely brilliant! 

Be blown away by Patrice Lawrence’s trade-mark brilliance in ‘PEOPLE like STARS’ - a fictional middle-grade true crime mystery with its oh so clever plot twists and turns, chaotic struggles with loyalty and justice, many clandestine trips to the library to research records, and the inter-changing narrators enabling readers to deep-dive into each character’s identity and inner struggles.

For ages 9+ (or confident readers 8+) this initial ‘Time Keys’ mystery brings together the author’s passions for music, history and adventure, for without music, or should I say, the children in this story and their playing a musical instrument, the world as we know it today is at great risk from time travelling magical artefact hunters who could alter our reality forever! 

Larry Hayes delivers a thrilling mix of humour, horror and heart. ‘The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick’ is spine-chilling, edge-of-your-seat fast-paced, and very exciting, I couldn’t put it down! Keep your skillet, frying pan, water pistols of holy water at the ready… you won’t want to miss this series!

A thoroughly enjoyable, enchanting and gripping middle-grade fantasy that bubbles with historical fiction!! Set in an alternate version of 1833—a year marked by societal shifts such as the abolition of slavery and child labour reforms, and a pivotal moment for female empowerment—Children's author, Dominique Valente reimagines Great Britain as the mysterious Magic Isles….

The children’s middle grade fiction and HarperCollins treasure, bestselling, multi-award winning author Hannah Gold is back with her fourth novel, ’Turtle Moon’. Hannah’s books celebrate the tender relationships that children develop with endangered animals, when the child is in a time of personal chaos within their family unit. 

It’s one of those middle-grade books I’m already eager to re-read. So, grab a copy and immerse yourself in the magical island of Whetherwhy, “where magic is as normal as breakfast.” If you’re looking for an inclusive ‘close relative’ alternative to Harry Potter to read with your children or your class - THIS IS IT.

A murder mystery following all the traditional plot developments - detecting, discovering a body, looking for a murder weapon, witnesses, suspects, and motive - it’s all here in spades. However to take a veritable Agatha Christie style whodunit and wrap it up in a post human vs giants fairy tale world is super genius.

An unforgettable, powerful and all-consuming story of two Year 7 children (one autistic, one non-binary) struggling with their first term at Secondary school, puberty, friendships, dysfunctional family life, discrimination and bullying.

A special welcome to those who have found my review today through the official Usborne Blog Tour - so happy to see you here! As the second of ‘The Book of Stolen Dreams’ adventures publishes in paperback, I get a chance to celebrate this unforgettable story all over again!!

I read this in one sitting! Meet Will, or Poundland as the bully squad refers to him as. The black & white almost-manga style strip illustrations are so impactful. Poverty + Will's sense of responsibility to look out for his dad means that he makes some bad choices in a moment of desperation… This is a powerful, punch of a book that's unputdownable, relatable, grows empathy, and speaks to struggles going on in playgrounds + school corridors everywhere.

It’s a sci-fi warzone out there! A world built in the future, humans have found a way to be at one with machines as hosted creatures called Constructs. Wolf is one such Construct. Wolf tribe member 12 year old Coll survives from one day to the next with the help of his magical anthryl-infused posthetics. A huge battle leaves him displaced, and together with his new band of misfits they use brains and brawn to bring about an end to this age of chaos and destruction.

A story told in verse is an exciting way to walk in someone else’s shoes. Leaving behind a horrendous experience of racism by her teacher in her school, Estie travels north to Scotland where she finds her truth, acceptance, love, family and community… and an exciting mystery to solve!

I invite you to read this unputdownable story, with its relaxing, healing, chicken soup (with a magical floral tea) for the soul vibe. Year 6 is over, and Alyssa spends the Summer with new found friends and family, discovering her Jamaican roots and some magical heritage that had been kept secret from her her whole life… UNTIL NOW.

New fiction from the author of the award winning ‘Orphans of the Tide’ trilogy! Domino and her new found friends head into battle in a quest for the peaceful balance between magic and science in this gripping philosophical fantasy adventure. Expect genetically modified lizards (dinosaurs brought back from extinction), Spirit creatures from your wildest dreams, and some dastardly despotic evil rulers to defeat in order to bring peace back to Abzalaymon once more.

A brilliant book about starting secondary school, fast-friendships and fast-fashion. ‘Stitched Up’ is a thoroughly enjoyable yarn with heartwarming and meaningful threads of knowledge and creativity when Cassie finds out the Year 7s are designing a new school uniform at the same time as her helping her local KnitWit community group win their dress-making competition!!