Review: The Maker of Monsters

Title: The Maker of Monsters
Author: Lorraine Gregory
Series: – –
Genre: MG Fantasy
Age Range: 9+
Available: Now

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Brat has always lived in the isolated castle on the island, taking care of the vicious creatures that his master creates, waiting in terror for the moment when they are ready to be put to use. But then the unthinkable happens. The monsters get out. Now Brat must overcome his fears, and venture into the world he has hidden from his whole life. For the fate of everyone rests on his shoulders alone. . .
A thrilling new standalone adventure from Lorraine Gregory.

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Review: Way of the Waves

Title: Way of the Waves
Author: Janina Ramirez
Illustrator: David Wyatt
Series: A Viking Mystery #2
Genre: Historical Children’s Fiction
Age Range: 9+
Available: Now

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Join young investigator and shield maiden Alva as she goes a-viking around the medieval world in search of adventure!

Alva clings to her sleeping wolf as the Viking longship pitches and rolls over the North Sea’s crashing waves. Soon she will reveal herself as a secret stowaway, but only when there’s no chance of turning back. This is her opportunity to put her shield maiden spirit to the test – exploring strange new lands, solving mysteries, and most importantly finding her father.

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Review: Closest Thing to Flying

Title: The Closest Thing to Flying
Author: Gill Lewis
Series: – –
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Age Range: 9+
Available: Now

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Present day: Semira doesn’t know where to call home. She and her mother came to England when she was four years old, brought across the desert and the sea by a man who has complete control. Always moving on, always afraid of being caught, she longs for freedom. 

1891: Hen knows exactly where to call home. Her stifling mother makes sure of that. But her Aunt Kitty is opening her eyes to a whole new world. A world of animal rights, and votes for women, and riding bicycles! Trapped in a life of behaving like a lady, she longs for freedom. 

When Semira discovers Hen’s diary, she finds the inspiration to be brave, to fight for her place in the world, and maybe even to uncover the secrets of her own past.

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Review: The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth

Title: The Girl with the Shark’s Teeth
Author: Cerrie Burnell
Series: – –
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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Minnow is different from the other girls in her town and there’s plenty to set her apart: the blossom of pale scars which lie beneath Minnow’s delicate ears, the fact that she has an affinity with the water which leaves people speechless, and that once – she is sure – in deep, deep water, her body began to glow like a sunken star. 

When her mum gets into trouble and is taken from their boat in the dead of night, Minnow is alone with one instruction: sail to Reykjavik to find your grandmother, she will keep you safe. Minnow has never sailed on her own before, but the call of the deep is a call she’s been waiting to answer her whole young life. 

Perhaps a girl who is lost on land can be found in the Wild Deep. 

The stunning middle grade debut from Cerrie Burnell.

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Review: The Ice Swans

Title: The Ice Swans
Author: Anne Booth
Illustrator: Rosie Butcher
Series: Magical Kingdom of Birds
Age Range: 7+
Available: Now

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To the Keeper of this Book – it’s time for you to visit the magical Kingdom waiting within. Believe in yourself – that will give you wings to fly!

When Maya receives a special colouring book – The Magical Kingdom of Birds – she is transported to a beautiful realm filled with magnificent birds and their fairy friends. But the Kingdom is in trouble, wicked Lord Astor has frozen the Diamond Lake and turned its beautiful swans into ice statues. Can Maya, with the help of her friends Willow and Patch, break the enchantment and save the day? 

Packed with beautiful illustrations, information on the real birds that inspired the story, and a special colouring page!

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Review: Jungle Curse

Title: Jungle Curse
Author: Tamsin Cooke
Series: Stunt Double #2
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure
Age Range: 9+
Available: Now

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An action-packed adventure story with an exciting film location setting. 

Fearless stunt double Finn is in Thailand working on the latest Rio Dinoni blockbuster. It’s a dream job, but are the whispers around set true? Is the film really cursed? When stunt, after stunt goes wrong; filming starts to get really dangerous. So far, Finn’s survived all sorts of smashes and crashes, even an elephant stampede, but it’s the secrets on set that might finally break him.

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Review: The Legend of Kevin

Title: The Legend of Kevin
Author: Philip Reeve
Illustrator: Sarah McIntyre
Series: Legend of Kevin #1
Age Range: 7+
Available: Now

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Max is a young boy living in an ordinary tower block. He longs for adventure in his life – then one day – DOOF! – a flying pony called Kevin crashes into his flat, blown in by a magical storm! 

The storm causes a huge flood and soon Max’s town submerged by water. Luckily for the town, Max has a flying pony to come to the rescue, and luckily for Kevin, he has a new best friend and a constant supply of his favourite thing – biscuits. 

Together Max and Kevin will embark on many wild adventures together . . . 

This is the start of a hilarious new series brought to you by the creative and inspiring duo Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre and is packed with amazing two-colour illustrations.

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Review: Walls

Title: Walls
Author: Emma Fischel
Series: – –
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Age Range: 9+
Available: Now

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An unforgettable hero. A fresh and unique voice. 

Meet Ned Harrison Arkle-Smith – he’s grumpy, bossy, and exasperating, but you can’t help liking him. Oh, and he’s just discovered he can walk through walls . . . 
Ned’s world is collapsing. His parents have split up, his best friend is behaving strangely, he has an awful new neighbour, and Snapper is making his life a misery.

In fact NOBODY is behaving the way Ned wants. 

And then there’s the wall. Right down the middle of Ivy Lodge and cutting up Ned’s life. A big brick reminder of all that’s going wrong in his life. Until, that is, the night when Ned discovers he has an astonishing new skill . . . 

A fun and intriguing concept that readers will delight in. Perfect for fans of Ross Welford and Lara Williamson.

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Review: The Sleepy Hummingbirds

Title: The Sleepy Hummingbirds
Series: Magical Kingdom of Birds
Author: Anne Booth
Illustrator: Rosie Butcher
Age Range: 7+
Available: Now

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To the Keeper of this Book – it’s time for you to visit the magical Kingdom waiting within. Believe in yourself – that will give you wings to fly!

When Maya receives a special colouring book – The Magical Kingdom of Birds – she is transported to a beautiful realm filled with magnificent birds and their fairy friends. But the kingdom is in trouble – evil Lord Astor has a plan to capture and cage the tiniest residents, the hummingbirds – and as Keeper of the Book it’s up to Maya to protect them. 

Packed with beautiful illustrations, information on the real birds that inspired the story, and includes a special colouring page!

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Review: Station Zero

Title: Station Zero
Author: Philip Reeve
Series: Railhead #3
Genre: Teen Sci-Fi
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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The stunning conclusion to the acclaimed and prizewinning Railhead trilogy.

What happens after the adventure of a lifetime?

For Zen, it’s a safe, comfortable life of luxury. But it’s not what Zen wants. He misses the thrill of riding the rails, of dodging danger, and of breathing the air of different planets. Most of all of course he misses Nova – lost to him forever in a distant world. But then one day a mysterious message arrives – and that’s all Zen needs to head right off, ready for anything. Except that no one could be ready for what he finds…

Thrilling, thought-provoking, and breathtaking, this finale to the Railhead trilogy weaves a web of wonder, full of characters and events you will never forget.

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