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!!

The daring Kitty Quest duo need all their woolly wits about them to defeat double trouble in book 3! Dagzobad find a new evil partner in crime to create some magical monster mayhem. Pawdor needs Woolfrik and Perigold more than ever!

How are your dreams these days? Are you someone who doesn't remember them, enjoys escaping off into wonderful fantasy worlds, or are you susceptible to nightmares? What about your kids? For this, friend, the first of a new fantasy series from the brilliant LD Lapinski, is about to shake your brain up!!

KIDS LOVE POETRY!!!!!!! Our current UK Children's Laureate, the absolutely AWESOME Joseph Coelho, has teamed up with poetry performance company Apples and Snake, publisher Otter-Barry Books, with support from the Arts Council England - and illustrator Ruthine Burton to LIFT UP and publish poetry from 10 debut poets - and the poetry is a wholesome and well-rounded collection of poetry for older Primary-age children, dealing with themes of friendship (and the hazards of gossip), disability, poverty, cultural representation (food, names, heroes, history (including slavery), hair and more), emotions, relationships with grandparents, being yourself.

I absolutely loved this book. The author’s life with her family on the farm no doubt provides endless sources of inspiration for her stories. 10 year old city-girl Ava spends a couple of weeks at with her Aunt Kitty, Uncle John, + cousin Tom on their farm during the Easter holidays, and it's the life-changing, life-affirming adventure she never knew she needed.

Based on the true events that took place in Paris during WW2, of a community of heroic and compassionate North African-heritage Muslims who selflessly risked their lives to ingeniously hide Jews (and sometimes British soldiers) from the Nazis, then helped them to escape; I simply cannot wait to share it with you.

GM Linton is a truly exciting debut author, her writing filled with charm, wit and soul. Paying homage to her parents of Jamaican origin, she wanted to honour their legacy and knack for storytelling in a book for children that respects the experience of the Windrush generation and reflects how they are remembered and celebrated in our time.

It’s the final term of Form One at River School, and there’s a new girl on the bus called Dongo who Jummy is immediately impressed with when she stands up to the ‘Atlantic Four’ (ie the mean girls)! This series is infused with delicious Nigerian meals that make my mouth water, the clothing some of the teachers and children wear are amazing, and you’ll learn a few words of Yoruba language too!

This has to be one of the most highly anticipated middle grades for 2023 - a new novel from the Costa Book Awards winner for ‘The Voyage of the Sparrowhawk’, author Natasha Farrant! Very exciting! This is a BIG story. BIG because like one of my favourite cakes, there are layers upon layers of delicious storylines for the reader to immerse themselves in, but at the heart of it is a dollop of yummy chocolate ganache - unconditional love for one's family and friends.

I love to travel in the books I read (as you know)… and I have never read a book before filled with narrative from the perspective of the First Country people of Australia. The landscape, wildlife and plants of the bush, almost feel alien to my own lived experience of the European countryside. It is totally fascinating. This is top notch storytelling from someone who has an incredible imagination, foresight and attention to detail. This book is so 'deadly'!! I loved it!!

'Wilder' is set in a British water-side village, perhaps 150-200 years ago, telling by the landowning gentry, clothing worn, lack of industry, Christian superstitiousness of traditional folklore ways. A touching story that achieves the delicate balance between sacrifice, loss, and an appreciation for life entwined in the presence of nature in any given moment.

A powerful true story of the WW2 Holocaust everyone should read. Greene’s illustrations seep into the reader’s consciousness emotions of surprise, disappointment, confusion, ignorance, bewilderment, pain, starvation, triumph, hope, love and more. Dronfield has masterfully retold the Kleinmann’s story.