132,662
edits
Changes
From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to searchno edit summary
[[Category:Confident Readers|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Confident Readers]]==Confident readers==__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alan SnowMax Boucherat|title=Ratbridge Chronicles: Worse Things Happen at SeaThe Last Life of Lori Mills|rating=34.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Meet We meet Lori on the Nautical Laundry. A boat, crewed by piratical rats who werenfirst evening she't wicked enough s got the house to bring themselves herself – no neighbour to actual piracypop in, it's wedged under a bridge in the town of Ratbridgebabysitter poorly, mother at work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. They're trying What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a blanket fort, she has one main intention, and that is to log on to lead a humble lifeVoxminer, doing the town's laundry world- but when someone sees the scanties displayed for all around to seebuilding, they're whisked to court critter- and fined collecting game that is a piratehit in Lori's treasureworld. LuckilyBut first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn't find herself entirely on her own, there might and then she finds something even more spooky. For the server she and her bestie and nobody else should be help at hand - the local miracle medicine manable to enter shows signs of tampering. When malevolent eyes spark up on her phone screen, who's just started curing everyone of everything with and her safe place in the same gloop, called Black Jollopgame has been doctored – well, where is willing to pay a king's ransom for a boat girl to take him for new supplies. Or, is there something else, secret and evil behind these weird happeningsturn?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192719653</amazonuk>0008666482
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=P L TraversKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title=Mary PoppinsDungeon Runners: The Complete CollectionHero Trial
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It is coming up for eighty years since ''Mary Poppins'' was first published Meet Kit. Like most of the people in Great Britainhis world, but it seems, he is still one an avid fan of those children's books you will find in every library and bookshop. Almost everyone in Dungeon Running – the countrysport where a team of warrior, young mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, can tell you the story and describe all the main charactersmagical mazes, and race to the Poppins nameexit, along perhaps bothering with the carpet bag treasure or the big bad and the parrot-headed umbrellapoints they grant you along the way. Unfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's seen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is that one team has become been retired, eaten, and a cultural referencenew trio of questors is needed. But Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to be honest, what most people actually know is the 1960s Disney film: goading from the original nanny who blew token bully of his world and stumbled into the life of the Banks children is declaring he'll enter as a much darkerteam. What chance does this friendless, more mysterious being altogether.muscle-free-zone have in actually managing that, and how could he possibly hope to succeed?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007398557</amazonuk>1839945184
}}
{{Frontpage|author=James Sherwood Metts|title=Planet Storyland|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary= Things have been a bit sticky for the Earthlings. AI and automation have been proceeding apace, often replacing jobs they're paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of other, new ways to spend time, along came an awful pandemic. Life was pretty much shut down and, along with it, all the many daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|isbn=1736128426}}{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rebecca SteadTom Percival|title=When You Reach MeThe Wrong Shoes
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Miranda has quite Will's life is difficult, in a bit going on in her lifemultitude of ways. Since her best friend Sal was punched on He is bullied because he has 'the street for no reasonwrong shoes', hehas the wrong shoes because his dad can's been distantt work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, shutting Miranda out of and his dad can't work because he lost his life. This loss leaves Miranda somewhat adriftjob at the college, as she was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and Sal have been inseparable since they were at day care togetherhad an accident. So she strikes up a friendship with Annemarie Throw into that mix the fact that his mum and dad are separated, but that involves coming between Annemarie and the stuck-up JuliaWill's life seems bleak in every direction. And then Colin joins the groupyet, which adds yet more complications - Miranda likes Colinhe still has a tiny amount of hope. He is good at art, but she's worried and clings to the moments of joy when he might is drawing, that feel like Annemariea light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1849392129</amazonuk>1398527122
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Ulf Stark1805141872|title=Fruitloops and DipsticksThe Teacher Who Knew Too Much|author=Rob Keeley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Simone is not happy''Seventeen banks and a jeweller’s have been raided. Her motherThe police are baffled, but only Ben knows the truth – his Maths teacher, Miss Judson, is really a flaky artist with a peculiar sartorial bentsafecracker! With police and her gangster boyfriend Al on their trail, has forgotten her daughter's twelfth birthday Miss Judson and Simone has had to make her own cakeBen go on the run. And that's only the beginningBut Al needs them for one last job. They've also had to move away from school and friends to a house outside town. Hmph. The house belongs to Ingvar, Simone's mother's nerdy and hypochondriac new boyfriend. He Goodness me, that Miss Judson is a terror! How on earth did a nice teacher like her manage to get mixed up with a bad 's a pain. In the confusion of the move, Kilroy, Simoneun like Al? We's beloved dog, has been left behind. Nobody can ll find himout. And as if all this weren't enoughLuckily for Miss Judson, Grandpa has run away from the care home and turned up at pupil who discovers her terrible secret is Ben, the doorson of a famous magician who has ambitions to be as good as his father some day, wearing high-heeled boots and not a lot else. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1877467588</amazonuk>who thinks Miss Judson is worth saving
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeff KinneyChristopher Edge|title=Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly TruthBlack Hole Cinema Club
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It's Lucas and his friends are all change booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that has the wimpy kidnickname of 'The Black Hole'. HeAll big movie fans, they's still as flummoxed by school lifere looking forward to lots of exciting films, and the social kudos gained by certain second hand textbooks. many, many snacks! He's still not sure why he's not getting However, as the attention at home movie starts, they very quickly realise thatsomething about this new film format is very different, and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn's now being delivered on his younger brothert even imagine. He's not certain what But as they lurch from one film genre to do now his mother's gone back to work and the menfolk have to do the catering and cleaning - but there's nothing odd about thatnext, for none of the males have a clue. So can they figure out what on earth is changinggoing on? Well lots of things - inside and out. Just as he and his friends are gaining muscles, deeper voices and zits, and interest in mixed-sex partying, so the school are segregating Will they ever get back to the genderscinema, and showing educational videos you need parental permission to watch. Who is going to guide him through this time in life - especially as he's dumped his best buddytheir real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141331984</amazonuk>1839942738
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robin PriceAdam Stower|title=CleocatraMurray and Bun|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers |summary=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 Kushion (Spartapuss Tales)cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap 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=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Spartapuss Eli is now a wealthybusy lad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, elderly, rather overweight catand in the evening a helper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. He Eli lives with his lovely gran, too – for there is on his way back to Rome from a generation missing in the land of the Kitonsfamily. His son A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to the titular race, a globe- known as SOS (Son trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of Spartapuss) keeps sending him messages requesting more moneya magical beast. SOS falls in love with This has made the beautiful Haireena, only race anathema to have her taken from him as the pair – but when a gift for bad incident at the emperor's retired gladiator. SOS eatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is sent to Hades Rowdare to enter what he most hates, and all that can with the sole aim the prize of magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save him is a ransom payment from his father..gran.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1906132070</amazonuk>0571382231
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Liz KesslerHelen Cooper|title=A Year Without AutumnThe Taming of the Cat|rating=43.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=It just takes one actionOnce again, mice are pitched against cat. In this case, principally, we have Brie the mouse, one smallup against Gorgonzola the cat – and in case you're seeing a connection, apparently insignificant word or deed they live in a cheese shop and therefore all the names used here seem to change your world foreverbe the names of cheeses. You miss a plane Anyway, Brie is shunned, scorned and , if you must, mous-tracised, for the way his habits don't match the other mice he lives with. They nibble up paper wrapping from the cheese for bedding – he displays it crashes. You change your usual numbers as art and win makes stories based on the lotteryvisuals on it. You miss a party because you have a spot And that story-telling will come in handy one night, when he feels all alone and never get cast out. It's almost as if there were another character from fable who had had to tell stories to meet your soul-matekeep themselves alive. For Jenni, things are even worse because somehow she ends up a year This makes Brie the top dog in the futuremouse community, though, when as all the damage is done and others had the fallout is already destroying chance to half-inch some cheese while the safe, happy life she knewcat was distracted. But will the story have the successful sequel it needs when that cheese runs out?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842555863</amazonuk>0571376010
}}
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I first read this book many years ago at Primary school, and it hasnRoo't lost any of its charm over the yearss life has become almost impossibly difficult. At times it feels like science fiction; this strange, enormous metal man who falls off a cliffHer mum died when she was young, breaking into pieces and then slowly puts himself back together, his hand crawling around looking for his eye, then searching for now she finds herself awoken in the rest middle of the night by the police banging on her door to tell her that her dad has dropped dead on his body piece by pieceway to the corner shop to buy a lottery ticket. At When asked what other times it feels like some sort of folklore fairytalefamily she has, she can only name her aunt, with the space-bat-angel-dragon threatening the worldJoni, and the people who she knows her dad didn't think very highly of the world relying on the Iron Man's bravery and intelligence in thwarting him. I love how poetic the language feelsBut she has no one else, for example as Hughes describes the Iron Man falling apart 'His great iron ears fell off and his eyes fell out. His great iron head fell so offshe goes to live with her unreliable aunt. All the separate pieces tumbledThings continue to get worse for Roo, scattered, crashing, bumping, clangingas when she and Joni leave London in Joni's old campervan, it breaks down on to in the rocky beach far below. A few rocks tumbled with him. Then silence.' middle of nowhere and then bursts into flames! The language makes it a joy to read aloud, but it also works perfectly as a story to be read alone by a confident reader.Poor Roo!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406324671</amazonuk>0571376169
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Andy StantonAdam Baron and Benji Davies|title=Mr Gum and the Secret HideoutOscar's Lion|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Mr Gum We start incredibly bluntly, with Oscar hoping to have his mother – or father, but mother is out more likely – read him his very favourite book a couple of times before he has to be ready for revengeschool. So often has But when he tried to get the best of Lamonic Bibberenters his parents' bedroom, the town our heroes live in, and so often all he has failed. This timesees is a mahoosive male lion on their bed, howeverlooking sheepish, and admitting that he is well preparedwon't be hungry for another two days. He has But there are benefits to having a secret hideout (lion around – it can be shown as an unspoken threat to the clue was in bully that ruined a birthday party for Oscar the title)other month. And it can shapeshift, so he has Billy William the Third with can take it to school and it can get him - his accomplice whoout of a problem. And it's stupid and evil enough wonderful to laugh at a person getting their eyebrows burnt offhave around the house – not limiting his biscuit intake, before realising said person is himselfbeing much more lax about the rules, and he has a ready-made supply of stinky, rotting meat and animal parts to help in his vengeanceso on. Just what all this adds up to is well worth the wait in the eighth entry in this expanding series of booksOK, it can't work a dimmer switch but it can give Oscar a wonderful time.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405253274</amazonuk>0008596751
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robin PriceJudith Eagle|title=I Am SpartapussThe Stolen Songbird|rating=3.54
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This is a slightly strange book. ItCaro's historymother, disguised as the diary of a slaveworld-cat in Ancient Romefamous whistler, has failed to return home from her recent work trip abroad and full of groanworthy punsis now missing. As I read itHer other mother, I found myself unsureRonnie, at timesis having to go up North to take care of her sister who is unwell. So who is going to look after Caro? Sent to stay with Gam, whether it was really very cleversomeone Caro has heard her mother despises, or just irritatingly sillyshe feels frustrated and confused and worried. It somehow managed All her summer holiday plans of building herself some equipment to practise her gymnastics are brought to be both. The blurb on the back describes it as a halt whilst she is stuck inside this staid old Victorian lady'witty Roman romp's house, along with an orphan boy, Albie, which is exactly what it who isliving there too. It But she soon finds herself caught up in a mystery, as she discovers a painting of a bird hidden away inside her mum's Ancient Rome - approximately - in old suitcase, and all across London a universe where cats rather than humans fearsome gang called the Snakes are in chargethieving artworks and terrorising people. Indeed, humans don't seem Is the painting somehow linked to exist at all, although other animals and some birds feature in the book. gang? ThereAnd what has happened to Caro's plenty of romping, and it's certainly witty. mother? Is she somehow involved in the mystery too?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0954657608</amazonuk>0571363148
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Colin BatemanTania Unsworth|title=SOS Adventure: Fire StormNowhere Island|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=This book opens with 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 breath-taking chase as a young local boyhome for himself. He is en route to yet another fosterer, Joewhen he jumps into an anonymous car, flees the bandits who have just murdered and lets it ride him to his father; they intend future. That future seems to kill him too so they can take over the land owned by be in jeopardy when someone steals his village. The plight one bag of belongings – but that someone lives with his brother in a camp on an island between the Joe two directions of a motorway, a place inaccessible and the villagers, who have definitely ignored enough to choose between keeping provide for their land safety and seclusion. Them, and risking deatha mute girl also finding a home there, or selling it for albeit so much more successfully. Over a few dollarsweeks we see if their oddball destinies can combine, continues or if this is one place where life as a theme right through the book and provides a nice counterpoint to the exploits of Michael and Katya.we would want it just would not work…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0340998873</amazonuk>1804540080
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ann Turnbull and Sarah YoungHelen Peters|title=Greek MythsFriends and Traitors|rating=53
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=England, WW2. Two young girls are new at the country pile called Stanbrook. One word keeps coming is Nancy, destined to mind when looking at this book: lavishbe in service all her life it seems, like the female generations before her. Sixteen well The other is Sidney, a girl from a hoity-toity Sussex boarding school that has been removed there away from bomber flight-known stories paths. The girls are presented herechalk and cheese, and 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 Lord Evesham must be a book positively overflowing with brightly coloured illustrationsrum 'un. Generous use Midnight deliveries are received under cover of gold makes the book feel even more specialsecrecy, talk is made of meetings with Germans, and the not only dangerthat, if you buy it for a childlocal Spitfire factory has been attacked. But surely the girls are wrong, is that you may not and the upper class could never be able to bring yourself to give it away.so underhand?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1406300837</amazonuk>1788004647
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Bob Hartman and JagoJamie Littler|title=Mr Aesop's Story ShopArkspire
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Aesop's fables have been known for centuries all around the worldTwo sisters, Juniper and Elodie, born fifteen minutes apart, are growing to be chalk and here cheese. Juniper is a new edition where a selection of an eager hunter and trader in illicit magic, including relics from prior major wars left out in the fables have been given some new embellishmentsBadlands. Aesop features Elodie is intent on getting closer to power in one of the stories himselfreligious districts of Arkspire, as a teller perhaps even to become the child in line to inherit the power of tales himself with the Watcher, the closest to a stall in ruler the market where people, especially childrendistrict has, gather to listen and hear himone of the five major victors in said earlier war. His stories are often set within Being trained in the magic that only five people can use would definitely change the status of the context whole family. But in finding something oddly magical, Juniper might just be able to gain some power of an understandable situationher own – for good, making it easier or for children to see parallels between the animals in the tales and the real life action.very, very bad…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0745969151</amazonuk>0241586143
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Shirley Hughes024162343X|title=The Christmas Eve GhostStolen History|author=Sathnam Sanghera
|rating=5
|genre=For SharingChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=Bronwen and Dylan live I was the bad company other people got into at school. I was disruptive in religious education classes because I disputed the poor part existence of 1930s Liverpoola 'god'. Where was the proof? In history lessons, it was probably worse still. Their mam takes in washing Not too long after the end of WWII, I didn't so much want to make ends meetlearn about the British army's successes (and occasional failures, and often has but we didn't dwell on those) in what came to leave them alone whilst shebe called 's pushing the big old pram full of washing colonies' as want to dispute what right the part of army had to be there in the city where first place. Looking back, I still believe I was right - but I regret that I lacked the well-off people live. Theymaturity to approach 're under strict instructions to have nothing to do with their neighbours, the Oproblem'Rileyspolitely. Then, on Christmas Eve, when they I wish I're alone, Bronwen and Dylan hear a plonk, plonk, plonk and are sure itd had Sathnam Sanghera's a ghost.''Stolen History''..|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1406320633</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ruth Wickings and Frances CastleThiago de Moraes|title=Pop-Up: A Paper Engineering MasterclassOld Gods New Tricks
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=With its subtitle Meet Trixie. Forever getting into scrapes, larks and adventures involving flooding the school aircon with fart powder, she could almost be thought a young goddess of nuisance. But just when she's being told that by her one-last-chance-giving headteacher, the world changes. Suddenly, practically everything electronic stops working – a power-out, even of electric cars, hits not just the town the school'A Paper Engineering Masterclass's in but the entire planet (apart from mobile phones, and all that powers the Internet, just for our convenience's sake). Trixie, luckily, you know exactly realises what you're getting has happened – the ancient Gods have taken the power of power from ''Pop-Up''us. You'll see how pop-up books are made And so she begins her epic quest, learn to gather all the people that can steal it back – namely the tips of characters from myth that have past form in stealing from the Gods, ie the tradesemi-deities, giants, half-gods and make four elaborate 3D models yourselfso on known as the tricksters. If you're not rushing out to buy it immediately, there's something wrong with you!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140633085X</amazonuk>178845295X
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Faye DurstonHannah Gold and Levi Pinfold|title=The Wychwood FairiesFinding Bear|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=There are some books that manage to be something more [[The Last Bear by Hannah Gold|Last time]], April had been on Bear Island, a lot further north than many people would venture, and finding a ridiculously unexpected but delightful friendship with a story polar bear – that she called Bear. Back home, things on the domestic and becomefamily front are a bit advanced, insteadbut not perfect for her, an experienceand so can easily be ignored when word comes through from the islands Bear was last left on. Sometimes theyFor a bear doing very Bear-y things has been shot and wounded. Desperate to make sure he're pop-up storiess OK, sometimes they're simple lift she and her father return to the flap books like [[Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell|Dear Zoo]] (which I have read to my daughter again Arctic and hope that in a world of very white and again very dangerous things, she can find one specific white and again!) Then there are extra special books like The Jolly Postman by Janet dangerous thing – and Allan Ahlberg which, if you haven't read yet then you really ought to, but I have now discovered that the delightful Wychwood Fairies which is another utterly delightful reading experiencefriendship can continue.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>023071496X</amazonuk>0008582017
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Angela McAllisterSimon Fox|title=The Double Life of Cora ParryDeadlock
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=When Late one night Graham Blake is late back from his shift on the meanforce, controlling woman who Cora has been living with diesand then suddenly rings Archie, Cora thinks she is finally free to live as she chooses. Howeverdemanding he fetch something from a secret place, fate is against her and she ends up abandoned, alone, join him on the streets of Victorian Londonrun. Desperate not to go back They get together, but barely begin to smell the workhouse where her mother died she finds herself drawn into whiff of Southern trains when the world of Fletchfather is arrested, a street kid who teaches Cora how leaving Archie on the late express to survive by thieving and confidence tricks. Although this goes against Cora's conscience she has to find Brighton, toting a way tin his father was determined to survivekeep away from his colleagues, and as the bearer of a coping strategy she imagines another persona for herself, Carrie, who carries out all the illegal activities leaving Cora free from guiltwhole heap of questions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556037</amazonuk>1839944420
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Philip CaveneyCath Howe|title=Sebastian Darke: A Buffalope's TaleMy Life on Fire|rating=45
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=DonRen's family home is destroyed in a fire. She, her parents, and her little brother lose everything. She doesn't be too worried by what have any of her clothes, or any of her special little knick-knacks from her cupboard, and now she is said on the front cover: this book may purport to be buffalope Maxliving at her grandmother's life story in his own miserable wordshouse where they can't touch anything, or do anything, but it isor even eat the foods they normally eat. When she goes back to school she discovers that the class are doing a special art project, in factcreating boxes of their lives, to display things that are important to them and show who they are as a warm and funny taleperson. Max is a larger-than-life character But Ren has nothing to put in every sense of the word: a brilliant thinker box, and a gifted linguist, he is quickly able so she finds herself starting to pick up the human tonguesteal things. And he is always ready to give his opinion or a piece of advice — whether it's wanted or Small things, things that people might not really miss, notwhen they have so much already. But what will happen to her if someone finds out what she is doing?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184624563X</amazonuk>1839942835
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Georgie AdamsRob Keeley|title=The Railway Rabbits: Wisher and the Runaway Piglet|rating=4.5|genre=For Sharing|summary=Wisher and the Runaway Piglet is the first book in a charming series about the Railway Rabbits. The little family of rabbits are delightful creatures who enjoy life and exploring the big wide world. Lots of dangers lurk, but they always seem to come through unscathed. However, when they hear rumours of a fierce dog chasing a runaway pig, even they are a little daunted. All except Wisher that is, who feels the need to go and warn her friend Violet Vole. Along the way she is almost trapped by the buzzard and trampled over by the Red Dragon. Somehow though, she escapes major disaster and even manages to save the day. Maybe such narrow escapes Boy Who Disappeared and her parents' obvious relief on her return may lead her to be more cautious in the future but that remains to be seen. Somehow, I doubt it!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444001566</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=L J Smith|title=The Night of the Solstice: Heart of ValourOther Stories
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary='Heart of Valour' Hooray! Bookbag favourite Rob Keeley is the sequel to [[The Night of the Solstice by L J Smith|The Night of the Solstice]], where Alys, Janie, Charles and Claudia discover back with a strange, enchanting and terrifying world. The Guardian of the mirror-gate between the worlds, Morgana Shee, had been imprisoned by the evil Cadel Forge, and the siblings were called return to rescue her. 'Heart of Valour' picks up the short story a year later. Morgana has format! The Boy Who Disappeared treats us to leave the children eleven new tales, each as fun to cope alone read as she travels north to battle her arch-rival Thia Pendriel, but dangers nearer home send them off on a quest to find herhis previous offerings.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0857070525</amazonuk>B0BVW69N1G
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Catherine CooperLaura Noakes|title=The Golden Acorn - The Adventures of Jack Brenin|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Determined as 'The One' when he insouciantly picks up Cosima Unfortunate Steals a golden acorn, Jack Brenin is thrust into a world of adventure and magic as he is given the heavy responsibility of saving the diminishing magical population of the village of Glasruhen, along with Camelin, the talking raven who provides welcome flair through his humorous dialogue.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906821658</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Philippe Lechermeier and Rebecca Dautremer|title=The Secret Lives of PrincessesStar
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=AhMeet Number One. Or rather, the French! Cosima Unfortunate. They're so good at being funny in eccentric waysOr rather, just Cos to her friends. This book The practice in the home she lives in is a perfect examplefor 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. Although princesses such But Cosima bears the tag as Cinderella are mentioned in passing, here we are being introduced a surname because nothing else seems to less commonly be known princesses like Princess Alli Fabette who is 'verry pritty butt about where she has a huje problim: she dusn't spell verry welll' or Princess Anne Phibian who is obsessed with frogscame from, is convinced her Prince Charming is disguised as onethe first ever inmate, and 'spends most of her time standing unique in having no known family in ponds kissing every green creature she encountersthe outside world.'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444902032</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=John Foster|title=See You Later During a daring escapade to steal some posh cakes from the kitchen one afternoon, Escalator|rating=4.5|genre=Children's Rhymes and Verse|summary=Always she discovers a plan involving said outside world – a sucker devilish Lord Fitzroy seems to want to adopt all the girls for a good poetry anthology here at Bookbag, we've enjoyed two previous collections from John Fosterhis Institute. ''See You Later But why, Escalator'' continues in and what does that body entail? And could it possibly bring Cos closer to the same vein, past she has so little link with poems from the likes of Tony Mitton, Michael Rosen, Michelle Magorian and Brian Patten.?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0192731831</amazonuk>0008579059
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Elizabeth BeresfordAlice M Ross|title=The Wombles|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summary=A scruffy, shaggy, slightly overweight, furry creature is riding around part of South London, barely in control of his bicycle. No, not the political memoirs of the incumbent Mayor of London. Better. Far better. It's Orinoco Womble and the gang are back!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408808374</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Emily Bearn|title=Tumtum and Nutmeg: A Circus AdventureNowhere Thief
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=I'm a big fan of At last there is new stock in the Tumtum impoverished yet over-full antiques shop Elsbeth and Nutmeg storiesher mother run in a seaside town. They always remind me 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 Mary Norton's ''The Borrowers''kaleidoscope colours to enter other worlds, with where the two little mice scurrying secretly around sea levels are rising dramatically and the human's house, helping the children when possible buildings are generally empty of humans and trying to avoid being seenripe for plunder. So I was excited With eviction imminent, can Elsbeth nab anything to read their latest adventure.actually generate custom at the shop? Well yes, is the answer, but the fact a mysterious man knows exactly which items come from these different Somewheres only raises more questions…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405254440</amazonuk>1839943769
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tony DiTerlizziNatasha Farrant|title=The Search for WondLaRescue of Ravenwood
|rating=5
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Tony DiTerlizziThis story is another excellent adventure from the author of 's name will be familiar to many readers as the co-creator 'Voyage of the [[A Giant Problem (Beyond Sparrowhawk''. Ravenwood is an old house, in the Spiderwick Chronicles) by Holly Black North of England, where Bea and Tony DiTerlizzi|Spiderwick Chronicles]]Raffy have been living for most of their lives. They are part of a complex, extended family arrangement, as Bea is there with her Uncle Leo, and it Raffy is entirely possible that this new trilogy will become just there with his mum, and they are living together as populara family. It is a charming tale of a young girl who has never seen another human being and who has been brought They have grown up by a kindly robot swimming in an underground home. Right from the very first pages we suspect things are not going well: lights flicker and malfunctioncove, machinery and furniture is chipped and scratchedroaming through the trees, completely at one with all of the nature around the house and even loving every inch of the wheel Eva's robot mother moves around on is tread-wornplace. Eva But now the house is being trained to go up into the outside world to meet other humansunder threat, but there has been no contact as Leo is under pressure from his other Sanctuaries, as two brothers to sell the underground homes are called, for property to a long timedeveloper as it's becoming more and more expensive to maintain. Eva will very soon need The children find themselves worrying not only about where they're going to go out live, but if they'll even be together, and discover for herself if there are any other humans on this strange and colourful planetRavenwood itself will be torn down.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>184738966X</amazonuk>0571348785
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Alan James BrownRobin Birch and Jobe Anderson|title=Secret Beast Club: The Tolpuddle Boy: Transported to Hell and BackUnicorns of Silver Street
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=In 1834Jayden's nose is forever in a book, six men from which means he knows a lot about mythological creatures – the Dorset village phoenixes and unicorns of Tolpuddle were deported to Australia the world, for their trade union activitiesexample. This book Aisha is addicted to her new tablet, written in a very simple style for children, tells the true story where she can see videos of what happened to themanything that might be out there. The problem, the politics of as their arrest and deportation and mothers see it, is that they are never 'out there' themselves, exploring the campaign by trade unionists and other supporters outside world of trade union rights to overturn their convictionsHackney, London.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1905512775</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Marcus Sedgwick|title=Raven Mysteries: Vampires But when a narrowboat turns up carrying a science-minded, educational purpose, and Volts|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Itwith a past involving Jayden's October at Castle Otherhand. That can only mean one thing - cousin, they find a return to the traditional annual pumpkin hunt. Shame magical world they're so damned elusivenever knew existed. But whenFor many of those mythological creatures are real, courtesy of including the one Aisha thinks she's seen on a bit of unsubtle arsonlocal footage. The crew of the boat, including a Hallowe'en Ball is redirected to be held at living gargoyle, are tasked with saving the Castle, rare critters – and things that do more than go bump in the night gatecrash - why, they're even harder kids unknowingly have the magical sight needed to catchjoin in. UnlessDare they side with Leila, of coursethe woman on board, you're and her relative who lives as a figure in a wrypainting, arch, droll, antiquated old raven called Edgar.and become saviours of the unseen?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1842556967</amazonuk>0241573483
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Marcus SedgwickB09XWSXSKY|title=Raven Mysteries: Flood Maestro Orpheus and the World Clock|author=Robert Penee and FangJoanne Grodzinski
|rating=4
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=Otherhand CastleFrederick (or Fred, and all in itbut never Freddy, is under threat, and only Edgar can save the dayplease) couldn't sleep. PityA tune, perhaps, then, that Edgar is only rather like the ticking of a ravenclock was playing over and over in his mind. But It happened every time hecame to visit his grandfather. He hadn's not your typical ravent really wanted to come; after all, for not only is he centuries 's ten now and all those old, and our narrator, but he is the only one who can see the connections between, and the danger involved in, a cellar full of rising floodwater, a horrific tail glimpsed in the vegetable garden, and some missing maidsclocks don't appeal to him anymore.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842556932</amazonuk>}}
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jonathan StroudNigel Baines|title=The Ring A Tricky Kind of Solomon (Bartimaeus)Magic
|rating=4.5
|genre=TeensEmerging Readers|summary=Barty is back! Well, he isn't actually back. But we do get Cooper loves to revisit him. Which is good. I'm sure you know who I'm talking aboutperform magic tricks. But just in case you don't, Bartimaeus is His father was a sarcasticmagician, wisecracking djinni and the star of a wonderful and best-selling series by Jonathan Stroud. Whilst tied to various enslaving magicians, Bartimaeus has had a finger in many pies of world history, particularly that of London. In fact, he's saved named Cooper after the day almost as many times as Doctor Who hasgreat Tommy Cooper. But Bartimaeus is no Doctor Who. Hesadly Cooper's a rudefather died suddenly, sarcastic egomaniac and unselfish behaviour isnnow Cooper doesn't his byword. But he cracks an irresistible one linerquite know who to be, or how to be. And he usually comes through in the end. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0385619154</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Martin Waddell and Emma Chichester Clark|title=The Orchard Book Of Hans Christian Andersenwhen his dad's Fairy Tales|rating=5|genre=Anthologies|summary=With ''The Princess and the Pea''prop rabbit starts talking to him, he ''The Ugly Duckling'really', ''The Tinderbox'', ''The Little Match Girl'', ''The Emperor's New Clothes'', ''The Tin Soldier'', ''The Swineherd'', ''The Nightingale'' and ''The Little Mermaid'', this is a must-have compendium of classic fairy tales. You candoesn't really go wrong with Hans Christian Andersenknow what's best, can you? Martin Waddell and Emma Chichester Clark have not just churned out the old classics, but they've given them an amazing freshness and vibrancy.going on anymore!|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846169380</amazonuk>1444960261
}}
